Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest increased by 14% in March compared to a year earlier.
This is according to preliminary official data released Friday (7), highlighting the new leftist government’s ongoing challenges.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office on Jan. 1 promising to end deforestation after his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, was accused of pushing deforestation for years and limiting conservation efforts in the Amazon.
“This increase in numbers shows that the Amazon still suffers from a huge lack of governance and that the new government needs to act urgently to rebuild its capacity to fight environmental crimes,” said Marcio Astrini, head of the local environmental group Climate Observatory.
Brazil officially measures annual deforestation from August to July to limit the impact of cloud cover that obscures satellite images of destruction during the rainy months.
From August 2022 to March 2023, deforestation increased by 39% over the previous year.
In late February, US climate envoy John Kerry said in Brasilia that the world could only meet its climate goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius if it protects the Amazon rainforest.
Washington announced earlier this year that it would contribute to the Brazilian Amazon Fund, which supports conservation projects in the jungle region.
Last month, Norway also pledged its support for Brazil’s efforts to attract more donor countries to the Amazon Fund.