Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: Threats and opportunities

Abstract Brazil holds the largest portion of the Amazon rainforest, which, in addition to its enormous biodiversity and vital role regulating local and global climate, is home to a great diversity of traditional communities and Indigenous peoples. Between August 2020 and July 2021, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon reached its highest rate in a decade, and record numbers of forest fires were detected. Considering the 2009–2022 period, an upward trend in deforestation was observed both inside and outside of conservation units (protected areas for biodiversity). One type of conservation unit, Environmental Protection Areas (APAs), had little or no effect in slowing deforestation. We show that deforestation rates during the last decade were partially associated with profits to soy growers, increases in cattle ranching and agricultural areas, and government policies. The recent increases in deforestation and forest degradation in Amazonian forests have led to international proposals that could drastically affect Brazil’s economy, which is the largest in Latin America. At the same time, these proposals also open new avenues for sustainable economic development that have been successful in reducing deforestation in developing countries. The search for more sustainable forms of income and development that protect ecosystem services provided by forests is essential for the Amazonian population and for climate change mitigation in Brazil.