Brazil's Amazon Deforestation Falls to Lowest Level in 40 Years
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon region has dropped to its lowest level in four decades. President Lula is using the result to bolster his environmental record just over a week before the presidential runoff.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to its lowest level in 40 years, France 24 reports. The figure comes as Brazil heads into the second round of its presidential election, which is due a little more than a week after the report was published on 17 October 2026.
In that runoff, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known as Lula, faces Flávio Bolsonaro. According to the source, the head of state is strengthening his environmental record just ahead of the vote.
Why it matters
Protecting the Amazon rainforest is a central part of Brazil's environmental policy, so the low deforestation level gives Lula a talking point in the final stretch of the campaign. The source does not provide detailed figures on the amount of forest cleared or the reasons behind the decline.
