Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced the figures during the institute's 65th-anniversary celebration near São Paulo, noting that the destruction has reached its lowest level in a decade.
Inpe Satellite Data Shows Decade-Low Forest Loss
The latest figures from Inpe mark the lowest recorded forest loss since detailed tracking began in 2016. While the destroyed area remains larger than Luxembourg, the 38.9 percent reduction follows a significant downward trend under the current administration. President Lula da Silva, who took office for his third term in early 2023, stated that the new data proves the government can meet its goal of stopping illegal deforestation entirely by 2030 if current momentum is maintained.
Under former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro, deforestation climbed sharply to reach a peak of 12,500 square kilometers in 2022.
Political Stakes and International Friction
The upcoming presidential election in October carries significant consequences for environmental policy. Flávio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro, is running as the right-wing challenger against President Lula da Silva. Brazil’s Supreme Court sentenced the elder Bolsonaro to roughly 27 years in prison in September 2025 for an attempted coup; he currently serves that sentence under house arrest.
During the data presentation, President Lula da Silva criticized United States President Donald Trump for climate skepticism and fossil fuel policies. Lula noted that the U.S. government has accused Brazil of inefficiency in combating illegal deforestation to justify trade tariffs. In response, Lula remarked that he intends to include a copy of the Inpe dataset in all future correspondence with Washington.
Divergent Trends Across the Amazon Basin
While Brazil reports steep declines in deforestation, neighboring Colombia records an opposing trajectory. Colombia holds the third-largest share of the Amazon rainforest at roughly seven percent, positioned behind Brazil and Peru. According to updated figures from the Forest and Carbon Monitoring System (SMByC) of the Ideam meteorological institute, Colombia lost 1,194 square kilometers of rainforest last year.
The Colombian figures represent a 5.2 percent increase compared to the 1,136 square kilometers destroyed in 2024. Ideam attributes this loss primarily to land grabbing for pastureland, extensive cattle ranching, and uncoordinated transport infrastructure rather than the expansion of illegal coca cultivation.
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