According to a recent report, 91% of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon last year was illegal. The analysis by ICV also found that 51% of the deforestation in the Cerrado region occurred without authorization. The findings highlight the urgent need for improved transparency, enforcement, and revised policies to combat illegal clearing effectively.
A new report reveals that 91% of the deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from August 2023 to July 2024 was illegal, according to the NGO Center of Life Institute (ICV). In the adjacent Cerrado region, 51% of deforestation also occurred without authorization. Brazilian laws permit certain deforestation on private lands for economic activities like cattle ranching, allowing up to 20% in the Amazon and 80% in the Cerrado with proper permits.
Despite this legal framework, ICV researchers detected significant illegal forest clearing that didn’t show up in official databases, indicating a substantial challenge in combating unauthorized deforestation. Vinicius Salgueiro from ICV’s Territorial Intelligence Unit emphasized that stronger enforcement measures, coupled with strategies to deter illegal clearing, are essential to combat this ongoing issue.
By cross-referencing satellite monitoring data with national and state-level deforestation permit records, the researchers classified any detected clearing not officially authorized as illegal. Their findings indicated that only 9% of Amazon deforestation and 49% in the Cerrado was legally sanctioned, with only half of Brazil’s states accurately integrating their permit data, complicating tracking efforts.
Marcondes Coelho, head of transparency and climate justice programs at ICV, noted that illegal deforestation prevails due to lack of transparency and a fragmented permit system that fosters opportunities for fraud. Suely Araújo from Brazil’s Climate Observatory confirmed that organized crime conditions exacerbated the long-standing challenges present in the Amazon region.
Furthermore, the situation in the Cerrado raises alarms as state environmental agencies frequently approve legal deforestation actions. Araújo called for more stringent permitting processes and policies that promote development in already deforested areas, warning that the regulatory systems currently allow excessive legal clearance, defeating conservation efforts.
The report underscores the widespread illegal deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon and Cerrado regions, emphasizing the need for enhanced transparency and enforcement. The presence of organized crime complicates efforts to manage illegal clearing, while existing laws allow for extensive legal deforestation, often exceeding sustainable limits. Strategies addressing both legality and the socio-economic drivers of deforestation are crucial for effective environmental preservation.
Original Source: news.mongabay.com
