Brazil Reports Record-Low Deforestation in Amazon Ahead of Presidential Run-Off

Left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pledged to end deforestation in the Amazon by 2030 when he took office three years ago. Forest destruction had accelerated under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration promoted mining in Indigenous territories while reducing resources for forest protection. According to official data cited by Agence France-Presse, the Amazon lost nearly 60 percent more forest during Bolsonaro’s 2019–2022 presidency than in the preceding four years.

The future of the Amazon has emerged as a major issue in the election campaign, with Lula facing Bolsonaro’s son, Flavio, in a closely contested run-off, according to opinion polls cited in the report. Flavio is expected to continue his father’s policies if elected, although he has pledged to combat organized crime in the Amazon. The world’s largest rainforest plays a vital role in regulating the global climate, with approximately 60 percent of its area located in Brazil, making forest conservation a key environmental and political concern.