Amazon Deforestation Reaches 10-Year Low in Early 2026
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has decreased significantly, reaching its lowest level in a decade during the first half of 2026. According to satellite data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE), 1,295 square kilometers (500 square miles) were deforested between January and June 2026, marking a 38% reduction from the 2,090 square kilometers (807 square miles) recorded during the same period in 2025.
This decline is part of a broader trend observed over recent months. In May 2026, the INPE's DETER real-time alert system recorded 370 square kilometers of deforestation, a 61.4% decrease compared to May 2025, and the lowest level ever documented for that month.
Over the longer period from August 2025 to May 2026, deforestation alerts totaled 2,189 square kilometers, reflecting a 37.5% decline from the same timeframe in the previous year.
Experts attribute this reduction to increased political will and effective policy measures. Ane Alencar, science director at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute, emphasized that these results demonstrate the impact of governmental and societal decisions on deforestation rates. João Paulo Sotero from Brazil’s Environment Ministry highlighted that the area burned in the first half of 2026 was nearly 40% smaller than the historical average from 2013 to 2025.