Cerrado and Amazon deforestation drop in first half of 2024

The most recent data from the Real-Time Deforestation Detection System (Sistema de Detecção do Desmatamento em Tempo Real/DETER-B), operated by Brazil’s National Space Research Institute (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais/INPE), shows a 38% drop in deforestation alerts in the Amazon for the first half of 2024, compared with the same period in 2023. In the Cerrado biome, deforestation dropped by 15% over the same period, marking the first decline since 2020. 

In June, deforestation in the Amazon decreased by 31% (457 km², down from 663 km²) and 24% in the Cerrado (662 km², down from 875 km²). This data was presented by Ministers Marina Silva, from the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima/MMA) and Luciana Santos from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação/MCTI), at a press conference held at MCTI headquarters in Brasília.

"The data shows a consistent downward trend in deforestation in the Amazon and the beginning of a decline in the Cerrado. This gives us hope that, as was the case with the Atlantic Forest, a consistent drop in deforestation will lead us to zero deforestation by 2030," said Minister Marina Silva.

In the first half of the year, the area under deforestation alerts in the Amazon totaled 1,639 km², the lowest since 2018. This result follows a 50% reduction in 2023, compared with 2022. 

Between August 2023 and June 2024, the area affected by deforestation alerts in the Amazon biome totaled 3,644 km², marking a 51% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. This figure makes up the annual deforestation rate, typically measured from August to July by another INPE system, the Legal Amazon Deforestation Satellite Monitoring Project (Projeto de Monitoramento do Desmatamento na Amazônia Legal por Satélite/PRODES). These figures underscore significant progress with just one month remaining in the cycle.

While PRODES provides more precise satellite imagery over longer periods of time, DETER issues daily alerts to support on-the-ground inspections carried out by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Renováveis/IBAMA) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade/ICMBio).

"The data reflects the strategic commitment of President Lula's administration to decarbonization, climate change mitigation and resilience against extreme events," remarked Minister Luciana Santos.

Cerrado

In the Cerrado, deforestation alerts encompassed an area of 3,724 km² in the first half of the year, marking a 15% decrease from the 4,396 km² recorded during the same period the previous year. However, between August 2023 and June 2024, the area affected by deforestation alerts in the biome totaled 6,571 km², reflecting a 16% increase compared to the previous period, which saw 5,735 km² of deforestation alerts.

This outcome indicates a trend toward decreasing deforestation in the biome, following a 43.6% increase in 2023 compared with 2022.

"This represents a developing trend, though not yet fully established. This is crucial given the accelerated growth observed in the Cerrado," stated MMA Executive Secretary João Paulo Capobianco. 

Watch the presentation and press conference here. 

Access the presentations from Inpe and MMA.

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