Deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado biome falls by 12.9% this year

Deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado biome fell by 12.9 percent between January and May this year, according to data from the Real-Time Deforestation Detection System (Deter), presented on Wednesday (Jun. 5) by Environment Minister Marina Silva during the celebration of World Environment Day, at the Planalto presidential palace. In 2023, deforestation increased by 43.6 percent.

"This is only the beginning. We can't say this is a downward trend yet," the minister explained in an interview with the program A Voz do Brasil, broadcast by Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC).

Silva stated that the federal government is currently executing a plan to prevent and control deforestation in the Cerrado. They are also engaging in dialogue with the governments of the states with the highest deforestation rates and some sectors of agribusiness. "We have demonstrated that the destruction of the Cerrado, combined with climate change, is not beneficial for Brazilian agricultural production," she emphasized.

The minister also emphasized the Cerrado's strategic importance for water balance. "With the deforestation of the Cerrado, we have observed a decrease in the flow of major rivers and a drop in the water table. Areas that were once semi-arid are now experiencing a process of desertification," she warned.

In the Amazon, deforestation dropped by 40 percent between January and May 2024, following a 49.8 percent decrease in 2023. "We can state that there has been a significant decline," Marina Silva said.