US News Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon at the highest for 12 years

© CARL DE SOUZA An aerial view of a forest fire in the Brazilian Amazon south of Novo Progresso in Brazil, August 2020

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has reached its highest level in twelve years, according to official data released on Monday that prompted condemnations from the government of President Jair Bolsonaro.

In total, 11,088 km2 of forest were destroyed in twelve months until last August, according to the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research (INPE) which analyzes satellite images.

The deforested area is larger than Jamaica, and has increased by 9.5% compared to last year, when deforestation had already broken a ten-year record.

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Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has surged to its highest level since 2008, the country's space agency (Inpe) reports. Since taking office nearly two years ago, Mr Bolsonaro has encouraged the expansion of agricultural and mining activities in the world's largest rainforest.

Brazil 's Amazon rainforest has been decimated by deforestation in 2020, soaring to a 12 - year high , official data revealed on Monday. In July, the Brazilian government instituted a three-month "moratorium" on fires in the Amazon following the deployment of troops earlier in the year to prevent

These figures are the highest since 2008, when 12,911 km2 of forest had been destroyed in the Brazilian Amazon.

"Due to such deforestation, Brazil is probably the only major emitter of greenhouse gases that managed to increase its emissions during a year in which the world economy was paralyzed", estimated the Climate Observatory, a collective of NGOs in Brazil.

© Carl DE SOUZA Aerial view of a deforested area of ​​the Amazon rainforest, August 23, 2019 near Porto Velho, in northern Brazil

Forests like the Amazon play an essential role in controlling climate change due to their ability to absorb carbon. But when trees die or are burnt, they release carbon back into the environment.

The far-right Brazilian president, a notorious climate-skeptic, has come under heavy criticism from the international community about his environmental management, especially in 2019, due to a sharp increase in fires in the Amazon in his first year mandate.

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Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surged again over the past year, hitting a 12 - year high , according to official figures released Monday that drew a chorus of condemnation of President Jair Bolsonaro's government.

Environmentalists fear 2019 will be one of worst years for deforestation in recent memory.

His government calls for legalizing agriculture or mining activities in protected areas and has cut funds for environmental protection programs.

Environmentalists claim that these policies are fueling the destruction of the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, of which about 60 pc is in Brazil.

"The vision of the government of Bolsonaro for the development of the Amazon is a return to the rampant deforestation of the past. It is a retrograde vision which is far from the efforts required to deal with the climate crisis", affirmed Cristiane Mazzetti, Greenpeace spokesperson, in a statement.

© Florian PLAUCHEUR Aerial view of a deforestation area in the Amazon rainforest, August 7, 2020 near Sinop, in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil

Vice-president Hamilton Mourao, who presented the figures during of a press conference, defended the government's commitment to fight deforestation.

"The message I am sending on behalf of President Bolsonaro is that we will continue to work with science and technology to support the work of environmental protection agencies," assured the retired general who heads the task. force on the Amazon created by the head of state.

US President-elect Joe Biden in October threatened Brazil with "significant economic consequences" if deforestation continued in the Amazon, but President Bolsonaro had warned that his country did not intend to be pressured on the matter .

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