Brazilian Amazon deforestation falls 41.8 per cent to the lowest level since records began

18 October 2026

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell by 41.8 per cent over the past year to 3,335 square kilometres, the lowest value since measurements began in 1988. The figures come from the Prodes satellite data series collated by Brazil's National Institute for Space Research. The new figure beats the previous record low by 1,236 square kilometres. Since 2022 the deforestation rate has slowed by 71.2 per cent. The states with the largest shares in 2026 were Para with 33.9 per cent of all Amazon deforestation, Mato Grosso with 25.5 per cent and Amazonas with 15.7 per cent, though each was down by more than 45 per cent on the previous year. Roraima was the only state where the figure rose, by 0.4 per cent. In the neighbouring Cerrado savannah biome, clearance fell to 5,516 square kilometres, the lowest since 2001. Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco called the decline absolutely stratospheric. The data was released before a presidential run-off on 25 October.