Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon region fell to its lowest level in six years at the beginning of 2024.
In January and February, deforestation fell by 63% compared with the same period last year to 196 square kilometres, the environmental protection organization Imazon announced.
Despite the significant decline, a daily average of 327 football pitches of rainforest was still cut down in the first two months of the year.
"This data shows that we still have a major challenge ahead of us," said Larissa Amorim from Imazon. "Achieving the promised 2030 target of zero deforestation is extremely important in the fight against climate change."
The Amazon rainforest is considered a carbon dioxide reservoir and has an important function in the international fight against climate change. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had announced his intention to strengthen environmental and climate protection.
While the situation in the Amazon region has recently eased, deforestation in the Cerrado, Brazil's savannah region, has increased significantly.
Brazil's space institute (Inpe) said deforestation there increased by 19% in February compared with the same month last year. The Cerrado is considered Brazil's water reservoir and is home to around 5% of all animal and plant species on the planet.
"The new figures continue a trend that began last year. While conservation efforts in the Amazon are taking hold, the chainsaws are now raging all the worse in the Cerrado," said Roberto Maldonado, Head of Latin America for the environmental group WWF Germany.
"Deforestation is moving from the most important rainforest on the planet to the most species-rich savannah."
