Brazil sees record Amazon deforestation in first half of 2022

Data from INPE satellites shows that 3,750 square kilometers (1,448 square miles) of the world´s largest rainforest were lost in Brazil between January 1 and June 24, the largest area since 2016, when the institute began this type of monitoring.

INPE satellites have been registering new monthly deforestation records since the beginning of the year, and it also registered arecord 2,562 fires in the country´s Amazonlast month.

Destruction of the world's largest rainforest has surged since President Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019 and weakened environmental protections, arguing that they hinder economic development that could reduce poverty in the Amazon region.

Though the President has passed several executive orders and laws to protect the rainforest, he has simultaneously slashed funding to government-run environmental protection and monitoring programs, and pushed toopen indigenous lands to commercial farming and mining.

https://www.cbs58.com/news/brazil-sees-record-amazon-deforestation-in-first-half-of-2022