Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has seen a significant slowdown in 2023, with a remarkable decrease of 55.8% compared to the previous year. This dramatic turnaround is considered a positive development for the global fight against climate change, as the Amazon plays a vital role in curbing global warming by absorbing substantial amounts of carbon dioxide through its vast tree cover.
The data, provided by the nonprofit Amazon Conservation’s MAAP forest monitoring program, offers a comprehensive look at the state of deforestation across the nine Amazonian countries. Notably, countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia have all shown declining rates of forest loss.
A shift towards pro-conservation governments in Brazil and Colombia over the past year is seen as a contributing factor to the decline in deforestation. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who assumed office on January 1st, has implemented stronger environmental law enforcement in Brazil. This stands in contrast to his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who advocated clearing rainforest land for various purposes, including mining and ranching.
The substantial success in reducing deforestation rates in the Amazon is expected to strengthen the negotiating position of Amazon countries at the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate summit. Experts believe that this decline will make it easier for these countries to push for conservation funding and support.
In terms of numbers, the deforestation of primary forests in the Amazon amounted to 9,117 square kilometers from January 1st to November 8th, 2023. This marks a significant reduction from the same period in 2022 and is the lowest level recorded since at least 2019 when more accurate satellite deforestation alerts became available.
Carlos Nobre, an earth systems scientist at the University of Sao Paulo and co-founder of the Science Panel for the Amazon research collective, hailed this data as “wonderful news.” He expressed optimism that the Amazon could make significant progress in achieving the global pledge to stop deforestation by the end of the decade, a commitment made by over 100 countries in 2021.
Additionally, the MAAP analysis incorporated NASA data to estimate that the Amazon holds over 37 billion metric tons of carbon. If the forest were to be destroyed, this immense carbon reserve would be released into the atmosphere. To put this into perspective, it’s roughly equivalent to 2.5 times the greenhouse gas emissions from all sources globally in 2022, including coal power plants and vehicles, according to European Union data. However, it’s important to note that this estimate may be conservative due to data limitations.
While the highest levels of deforestation are concentrated in the southwestern Amazon in Peru and the northeastern regions, steps to reduce deforestation contribute significantly to lowering greenhouse gas emissions. Deforestation is currently the largest source of emissions in Amazonian countries.
The decline in deforestation rates will give countries like Brazil substantial leverage in the upcoming United Nations COP28 climate negotiations, which are set to begin shortly. President Lula has been actively advocating for rich nations to provide financial support for Amazonian woodland conservation.
This significant reduction in deforestation is seen as a positive step towards preserving the Amazon rainforest and mitigating the effects of climate change.