Brazil Reports Lowest Amazon Deforestation Since 1988 as Runoff Looms

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SAO PAULO | October 17, 2026. Brazil’s Amazon rainforest recorded its lowest annual deforestation level since official monitoring began in 1988, according to figures released by the country’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). The result arrives as Brazil prepares for a presidential runoff on October 25.

Amazon deforestation falls 42% in one year

INPE’s PRODES satellite monitoring programme recorded 3,335 square kilometres of forest loss between August 2025 and July 2026. Reuters reported that this represented a decline of about 42% compared with the preceding 12-month period. The previous record low was 4,571 square kilometres in 2011–2012.

The Brazilian government also says Amazon deforestation has fallen by roughly 71% since 2023. The annual decline and the longer-term comparison use different baselines and should not be confused.

What has changed in forest protection?

Under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Brazil revived its Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon, known as PPCDAm. The policy combines satellite monitoring, environmental enforcement, protected-area management and economic measures intended to discourage illegal clearing. The figures are an important indicator of progress, although attributing the entire reduction to any single policy would oversimplify the result.

Why wildfires remain a concern

The record-low deforestation figure does not mean the Amazon is free from environmental threats. Recent fires in parts of the region have disrupted daily life, and officials are investigating the causes. Deforestation, fire activity and forest degradation are different measures: annual clear-cutting totals cannot on their own capture every form of damage.

Political significance ahead of the runoff

Environmental protection is among the issues facing voters as Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro compete in the October 25 runoff. Future enforcement, conservation funding and policies affecting farmers and rural communities may depend on the election outcome.