Jan 28 2021 Read 523 Times
Deforestation in the Brazilian part of the Amazon Rainforest has reached its highest levels for over a decade, according to new data published by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Last year, a total of 4,281 square miles of forest cover were razed to the ground in Brazil, which is an area larger than the Big Island in Hawaii.
It’s the biggest deforestation incident since 2008, when 4,984 square miles were destroyed. While the news is certainly distressing, it’s far from surprising, since Amazon deforestation has been steadily getting worse since the lows experienced in 2012. The presidency of right-wing anti-environmentalist Jair Bolsonaro and the distractions of COVID-19 have only exacerbated the issue, leading to this year’s record-breaking figures.