# Deforestation in Brazil has rocketed since Bolsonaro became president

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/07/deforestation-in-brazil-has-rocketed-since-bolsonaro-became-president/
- Published: 2019-07-23T02:46:27-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

From the [New Scientist](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2210621-deforestation-in-brazil-has-rocketed-since-bolsonaro-became-president/):

![Recently exposed soil orange and cattle ranches light green around the juruena
river in brazil](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/
47942987013_4ef0330737_o-800x533-1.jpg?resize=420%2C280&quality=52&ssl=1 "47942987013_4ef0330737_o-
800x533 - The Green Living Guy")

 

 Recently exposed soil (orange) and cattle ranches (light green) around the Juruena
River in Brazil

Oton Barros/DSR/OBT/INPE

#### Adam Vaughan

Satellite images suggest that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon [rainforest](https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/06/atlantic-forest-harbors-a-range-of-biological-diversity-similar-to-that-of-the-amazon/)
has shot up since Jair [Bolsonaro](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/12/cut-global-emissions-by-7-6-percent-every-year-for-next-decade-to-meet-1-5c-paris-target-un-report/)
became president in January, despite his [claim on Friday that the data “lies”](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/19/jair-bolsonaro-brazil-amazon-rainforest-deforestation).

More than 3,700 square kilometers of forest has gone through [deforestation](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/01/rio-gets-a-pilot-plant-to-explore-energy-from-waste/)
in Brazil this year alone. That’s an area about a fifth the size of Wales, preliminary
satellite data indicates. Even before figures for the whole of July are in, the 
losses for the first seven months of the year are up 16 per cent. That’s on the 
recent high of 3183 square kilometers in 2016.

Back when I reported and **Posted on 26 April 2012. **Brazil’s Congress passed legislation
late last night that strips the Amazon and other key regions of critical environmental
protections, and grants amnesty to individuals accused of past illegal deforestation.

WWF condemning the new Forest Code bill. All driven by retrograde sectors of Brazil’s
powerful agribusiness industry, for its failure to account for severe social and
environmental costs. Since 2006, Brazil has demonstrated that it can dramatically
reduce its rate of deforestation while increasing agricultural production and reducing
poverty. This bill threatens hard-won gains for both the environment and Brazilian
society.

Finally, the world’s greatest rainforest is not only home to a [rich diversity of species](https://greenlivingguy.com/2016/06/atlantic-forest-harbors-a-range-of-biological-diversity-similar-to-that-of-the-amazon/)
and around 400 indigenous groups. In addition and more noteworthy, it’s also a vast
store of carbon. Storage therefore that is vital for tackling climate change. Finally,
increasing [deforestation in Brasil and of the Amazon](https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/12/amazon-conservation-maap63-patterns-deforestation-throughout/)
makes reducing our global carbon emissions much harder. All says Mark Maslin of 
University College London.

Read more: [https://www.newscientist.com/article/2210621-deforestation-in-brazil-has-rocketed-since-bolsonaro-became-president/#ixzz5uTraAbTZ](https://www.newscientist.com/article/2210621-deforestation-in-brazil-has-rocketed-since-bolsonaro-became-president/#ixzz5uTraAbTZ)

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
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