Deforestation in the Amazon during the period between August 2025 and July 2026 decreased by 41.8% compared to the previous cycle, according to the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) on Friday, the 16th. During this period, the total deforested area reached 3,335 km², representing the lowest record since the start of monitoring in 1988.
The Cerrado biome also showed a record reduction index, with 5,516 km² deforested, which constitutes the lowest level in the historical series for this biome, which began in 2001. The drop observed in the Cerrado was 23.8% compared to the immediately preceding period.
This data is generated by the Satellite Monitoring Project of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (Prodes), maintained by Inpe. This system uses detailed satellite image analyses to calculate the deforested areas annually, covering the August to July interval, and is considered the official measurement of deforestation in Brazil. The agency also operates Deter, a tool that provides less accurate but faster numbers, serving as a quick alert to guide enforcement actions.
Previously, the lowest record of deforestation in the Amazon was in 2012, with a loss of 4,571 km² of vegetation. In the Cerrado, the previous lowest value in the historical series was recorded in 2019, totaling 6,319 km².
When comparing performance over a four-year period, the reductions become even more significant: 71.2% in the Amazon and 48.4% in the Cerrado.
In contrast, during the Bolsonaro administration, deforestation in the Amazon grew by 60%, a result of weakened enforcement and penalties. Under this management, the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm), created in 2004 and seen as the main conservation strategy for the biome, was abolished. However, this plan was reactivated in 2023 under the Lula administration.
The release of these results occurred amid an intense wave of fires affecting the state of Amazonas. It is important to note that the information provided by Inpe strictly refers to the period from August 2025 to July 2026, and that fires and deforestation are distinct metrics.