The Brazilian Amazon deforestation rate in 2020 is the greatest of the decade

Published in Nature Ecology & Evolution volume 5, pages 144–145
Authors

Celso H. L. Silva Junior, Ana C. M. Pessôa, Nathália S. Carvalho, João B. C. Reis, Liana O. Anderson & Luiz E. O. C. Aragão 
Publication year 2020
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-01368-x
Affiliations

 

  • Tropical Ecosystems and Environmental Sciences Laboratory (TREES), São José dos Campos, Brazil. celsohlsj@gmail.com.
  • Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), São José dos Campos, Brazil. celsohlsj@gmail.com.
  • Tropical Ecosystems and Environmental Sciences Laboratory (TREES), São José dos Campos, Brazil.
  • Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), São José dos Campos, Brazil.
  • Centro Nacional de Monitoramento e Alertas de Desastres Naturais (CEMADEN), São José dos Campos, Brazil.
  • University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
IAI Program
  • Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior &ndash Brasil (CAPES) &ndash Finance Code 001. A.C.M.P., N.S.C., J.B.C.R. and L.E.O.C.A. 
  • Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for funding (processes 140877/2018-5, 140379/2018-5, 301597/2020-0 and 305054/2016-3, respectively). L.O.A.
  • the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI process SGP-HW 016), the CNPq (processes 441949/2018-5 and 442650/2018-3),
  • São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP processes 2016/02018-2 and 2019/05440-5)
IAI Project SGP-HW 016
Keywords
Brazilian Amazon
PDFThe Brazilian Amazon deforestation rate in 2020 is the greatest of the decade.pdf

Abstract

To the Editor &mdash In 2012, Brazil achieved an unprecedented feat among tropical countries by reducing deforestation rates in Amazonia by 84% (4,571 km2) compared to the historical peak of 2004, when 27,772 km2 of forests were clear-cut1 (Fig. 1). This achievement resulted from multiple government initiatives, particularly the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm)2,3 and international pressure, such as the soy and beef moratoria.