Amazon records largest deforested area in 15 years, tracking shows

It has a devastated area of ​​10,781 km.^twoAmazon is experiencing second year in a row with more than 10 thousand km of historical deforestation^two. The information comes from the Human and Environment Institute’s (Imazon) Deforestation Warning System.

In the so-called “deforestation calendar”, during the period from August 2021 to July 2022, the devastated area is equal to 7 times the city of São Paulo. This is the largest deforestation record in the last 15 years, according to the agency’s data.

Also, according to study data, Imazon estimates that 36% of the total devastated area occurs in the area known as Amacro, which includes 32 municipalities on the borders between the states of Amazonas, Acre and Rondônia.

With the spread of agricultural trade in this region, approximately 4 thousand km was cut.^two Forest. It reached another historical point in 15 years, with an increase of 29% compared to the previous period.

Among the states with the most deforestation, we can rank with Pará as the main extractor responsible for 36% of activity. See the list below:

1. Para: 3,858 km^two

2. Amazon: 2,738 km^two

3. Mato Grosso: 1,620 km^two

4. Rondonia: 1,312 km^two

5. Acres: 865 km^two

With deforestation in increased activity in these areas, the situation “shows that Amacro needs urgent conservation actions mainly to prevent public forests, whose fate has not yet been determined, from becoming the target of land grab,” says Bianca Santos, a researcher at Imazon. statement from the institution.

Other relevant factors that should also be discussed, Bianca says, are the direct contribution to the adverse effects of climate change, the threat to biodiversity, and the putting native populations at risk.