Analysis: Lula presidency saved at least 20,000km2 of Brazilian Amazon since 2022
Carbon Brief analysis suggests that Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's policies have prevented the deforestation of at least 20,000 square kilometers of the Amazon. The report contrasts these environmental gains with the high deforestation rates seen under his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.
Why it matters
The Amazon rainforest is a critical global carbon sink, and its preservation is essential for mitigating the impacts of climate change.
Share Article Contents Expand menu Close ‘Brazil is back’ Wales-sized forest Election significance ‘Greenest’ policies Soy moratorium and Brazilian congress An area of Amazon forest roughly the size of the US state of New Jersey has remained standing due to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s leadership of Brazil, according to Carbon Brief analysis.
Lula beat Jair Bolsonaro in the 2022 election to become president of the nation that is home to nearly 60% of the Amazon rainforest.
Forest loss surged during Bolsonaro’s far-right presidency and dropped sharply under the left-wing Lula, with Amazon deforestation likely to hit its lowest level on record this year.
Now, as another presidential election approaches, Lula is facing off against Bolsonaro’s son, Flávio Bolsonaro, whose “ anti-environmental ” policies are similar to his father’s.
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