Report Reveals 91% of Brazilian Amazon Deforestation Was Illegal Last Year

A report from the Center of Life Institute shows that 91% of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon last year was illegal. In the Cerrado, 51% of deforestation lacked authorization. The findings reveal significant issues with law enforcement and transparency in permit systems, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulations to combat illegal activities.

A recent report indicates that an overwhelming 91% of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from August 2023 to July 2024 was conducted illegally. The analysis, performed by the NGO Center of Life Institute (ICV), revealed that a staggering majority of forest clearing lacked proper authorization. In the Cerrado region, known for being the world’s most biodiverse tropical savanna, unauthorized deforestation accounted for 51% of land clearing.

Brazilian legislation delineates allowances for legal deforestation on private lands intended for agricultural purposes. For instance, landowners in the Amazon may clear up to 20% of their property with an official permit, while in the Cerrado, this limit increases to 80%. Nevertheless, ICV researchers found extensive illegal activities not registered in official databases, underscoring the issue of unauthorized deforestation.

Vinicius Salgueiro, of ICV’s Territorial Intelligence Unit, noted that the findings illustrate the significant challenges in curbing illegal deforestation within Brazil’s most impacted ecological regions. He emphasized the necessity for stronger enforcement of laws, complimented by strategies aimed at rendering illegal clearing economically unviable to alter the existing detrimental incentives.

To validate their findings, the researchers compared satellite deforestation alerts from Brazil’s space agency with national and state-level deforestation permit databases. Forest clearing detected by satellites without corresponding records in official permit registries was categorized as illegal. Results showed only 9% of Amazon deforestation and 49% in the Cerrado was legally authorized.

The report revealed that merely eight out of the sixteen states in these biomes have fully integrated their permit data into Sinaflor, a federal database, complicating the monitoring of legal deforestation. Marcondes Coelho, ICV’s program coordinator for transparency and climate justice, stated that “illegal deforestation thrives in the absence of transparency,” noting that the fragmented permit system fosters opportunities for fraud and restricts environmental regulation.

Suely Araújo, public policy coordinator at Brazil’s Climate Observatory, remarked that illegal deforestation has been a persistent issue in the Amazon. She pointed to the increasing presence of organized crime while calling attention to the longstanding lack of public authority enforcement in the region. In the Cerrado, she advocated for tighter permit regulations and policies fostering production in regions already deforested.

The prevalent illegal deforestation in Brazilian ecosystems poses a severe environmental crisis. With 91% of Amazon deforestation unauthorized, there is an urgent need for enhanced transparency and law enforcement. Strengthening policy frameworks could mitigate illegal clearing and promote sustainable land use, emphasizing the importance of coordinated efforts across various governing bodies.

Original Source: news.mongabay.com