outubro, 07 2022

In September alone, 1,455 km² were devastated, 48% more than in 2021; between January and September, deforestation in the Cerrado increased by 24% compared to 2021

By WWF-Brazil

In the Amazon, between January 1st and September 30, deforestation alerts covered 8,590 km², – the highest value recorded by the DETER System, of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), since 2016. Deforestation was 23% higher than recorded in the same period in the past year (7,006 km²) and more than double the value of 2018 (4,081 km²).

The states that most devastated the Amazon in 2022 (until September 30) were Pará (2,818 km²), Amazonas (2,322 km²) and Mato Grosso (1,742 km²). The municipalities that accumulated the most deforestation in 2022 were Apuí (602 km²), Lábrea (538 km²), Altamira (510 km²), Porto Velho (398 km²) and São Félix do Xingu (378 km²). The most deforested protected areas are in Pará: the Tapajós Environmental Protection Area (99 km²), the Jamanxim National Forest (86 km²) and the Terra do Meio Ecological Station (37 km²).

In September 2022, deforestation in the Amazon reached 1,455 km², a value 48% higher than that recorded in September last year (985 km²). The value is practically the same as in September 2019 (1,454 km²).
Between September 1st and 30, deforestation was concentrated in the states of Pará (531 km²), Mato Grosso (340 km²) and Amazonas (284 km²). The most deforested municipalities in the month were União do Sul (111 km²), Lábrea, (83 km²) and São Félix do Xingu (72 km²). The most devastated Conservation Units were the Jamanxim National Forest (15 km²), the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve (10 km²) and the Tapajós Environmental Protection Area (5 km²).

In the Cerrado, the data from the Deter System are available until September 28. In the month of September, 262 km² were devastated. It is the lowest value since 2020, but even so, the accumulated deforestation in the year already reaches 4,837 km², a value 24% higher than that recorded in 2021.

In the period between January 1st and September 28, deforestation in the Cerrado was once again concentrated in the states of MATOPIBA - the main current agricultural expansion region in Brazil: Bahia (1,228 km²), Maranhão (1,166 km²) and Tocantins (752 km²). The most deforested municipalities in the Cerrado period were Formosa do Rio Preto (277 km²), São Desidério (275 km²) and Balsas (233 km²).

Mariana Napolitano, Head of Science at WWF-Brazil, warns that deforestation in the Amazon is growing at an exponential rate, with serious consequences for the entire country, impacting rainfall and food production. "The rate of deforestation in the first nine months of 2022 doubled between 2018 and 2020, from 4,000 km² to over 8,000 km² - this is unprecedented growth," she said.

According to her, if we continue at this pace, in a short time, we can reach the point of no return in the Amazon, which will lose its ability to rebalance itself and generate rains that are so necessary for all of Latin America.
“Recent studies point out that the Amazon is Latin America's biggest rain-generating pump, producing at least 25% of all rainfall in southeastern Brazil. We are destroying our source of rainfall and climate regularity for the benefit of land grabbing and illegal actions that do not generate wealth distribution or increase the country's GDP," said Mariana.
 

About WWF-Brazil

WWF-Brazil is a Brazilian NGO that for 26 years has been working collectively with partners from civil society, universities, governments and companies across the country to combat socio-environmental degradation and defend the lives of people and nature. We are connected in an interdependent network that seeks urgent solutions to the climate emergency. Website: wwwf.org.br/doe