Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from January to November exceeds 10,000 km², worst record in 10 years

This devastated area is 31% higher than in the same period in 2020, according to Imazon

From January to November 2021, the Brazilian Amazon lost a forest area of 10,222 km², which is equivalent to seven times the city of São Paulo. This is the highest accumulated in the last 10 years, according to Imazon, a research center which monitors the region through satellite images since 2008.

In November alone, an area of ​​480 km² was deforested. With that, 2021 had the second worst November of the decade — only behind 2020, when 484 km² of forest were destroyed.

“The consequences of the increase in deforestation observed this year are numerous, including the intensification of global warming, the change in the rainfall regime, and the loss of biodiversity. In addition, the destruction of the forest also threatens the survival of traditional peoples and communities, such as indigenous peoples and quilombolas”, warns Imazon researcher Larissa Amorim.

To reduce this rate of devastation, according to the expert, it is necessary to intensify inspection and punishment actions for those responsible for illegal deforestation, especially in critical areas. “It is also necessary to stop the activities that are taking place in illegally deforested areas”, she says.

Three states were responsible for 80% of the devastation

Three of the nine states in the region were responsible for 80% of deforestation in November: Pará, Mato Grosso, and Rondônia. The most serious case is Pará, a state that has led the ranking of forest destruction for seven consecutive months and registered 290 km² of devastation in November. This represents 60% of the deforested area in the Brazilian Amazon in the month.

Mato Grosso and Rondônia were responsible, respectively, for 54 km² (11%) and 42 km² (9%) of the deforestation in the region in November. Besides, five of the 20 most affected protected areas are in these two states, two of them being conservation units and three indigenous lands.