The Amazon has highest October forest loss since at least 2007

by Mongabay.com on 12 November 2021

On Friday Brazil reported the highest level of deforestation for any October dating back to 2007.
According to data from Brazil’s national space research institute INPE, 877 square kilometers (339 square miles) of rainforest were destroyed in the Brazilian Amazon, a 5% increase over October 2020.
It marks the second straight month where the rate of forest clearing has risen, but on a trailing-twelve-month basis, deforestation stands 5% lower than the same time last year.
Brazil is expected to release its preliminary deforestation for the year ended July 31, 2021 later this month. It will likely show about a 10% decline relative to 2020.

As the U.N. climate conference drew toward a close Friday, Brazil reported the highest level of deforestation for any October dating back to 2007.

According to the monthly deforestation tracking system run by Brazil’s national space research institute INPE, 877 square kilometers (339 square miles) of rainforest were cleared in the Brazilian Amazon, a 5% increase over October 2020.

It marks the second straight month where the rate of forest clearing has risen on a month-over-month basis. But on a trailing-twelve-month basis — a better indicator of the trend — deforestation stands 5% lower than the same time last year by the government’s numbers.

However Imazon, a Brazilian organization that independently tracks deforestation, has loss pacing well above the rate a year ago. The discrepancy may be attributed to differences in how the systems distinguish between deforestation and forest degradation. INPE’s system shows a significant increase in degradation and selective forest cutting relative to last year.

Brazil is expected to release its preliminary deforestation for the year ended July 31, 2021 later this month. The tally is projected to be around 10% lower than last year’s 10,851 square kilometers, which was the highest level dating back to 2008.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, which accounts for nearly two-thirds of the Amazon rainforest, has been trending upward since 2012. The rate of loss has sharply accelerated since Jair Bolsonaro was elected president.