Brazil Amazon deforestation falls to lowest level in a decade under Lula

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest fell to its lowest level in a decade in the first half of 2026, according to official figures released on Friday. The data show that an estimated 1,295 square kilometres of forest were cleared between January and June, a 38% drop from the same period a year earlier. The figures mark a significant milestone for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's pledge to curb destruction in the world's largest rainforest.

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The numbers were published by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research, which tracks forest loss in the Amazon. They show the lowest overall level of clearing since 2016. Lula has repeatedly promised to end illegal deforestation by 2030, and the latest figures are being presented by his government as evidence that policy is moving in that direction.

The result also comes months before Brazil's presidential election, adding political weight to the environmental data. The decline contrasts with the higher levels of forest loss seen in recent years, including a peak around 2022 under former president Jair Bolsonaro. The supporting material says that year saw clearing on a scale described as 13 times the size of New York City.

Bolsonaro had promoted what he called sustainable development and mining in the Amazon, but critics accused his administration of enabling greater environmental damage and weakening Indigenous rights in the region. Lula defeated Bolsonaro in the 2022 election in part by promising stronger protection for Brazil's environmental resources. The latest figures matter beyond domestic politics because the Amazon is central to global climate and biodiversity debates.

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The rainforest is the largest on Earth, and changes in deforestation rates are closely watched by governments, investors and environmental groups. Brazil's record also carries economic and diplomatic significance, especially as Lula's administration faces scrutiny over other energy and development decisions, including expanded oil exploration near the mouth of the Amazon River. The data also feed into wider tensions between Brazil and the administration of United States President Donald Trump, which has criticised Brazil over trade and deforestation.

In June, Trump officials proposed a new round of tariffs on Brazil, citing unfair trading practices and illegal deforestation among their reasons. Lula's government has pointed to the latest forest-loss figures as evidence against those claims, arguing that its anti-deforestation efforts are producing measurable results. The figures therefore have implications not only for environmental policy but also for Brazil's external relations.

Even so, the broader challenge remains unresolved. Lula's government has said it wants to bring deforestation down to zero by 2030, but the supporting material notes that critics continue to question the administration's overall environmental record. It is not clear from the figures alone whether the downward trend will continue through the rest of the year or how enforcement will hold up under political pressure.

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