The Amazon has lost an area larger than Spain in 40 years, report shows

Some 52 million hectares of natural land have been lost in the Brazilian Amazon region since 1985 – a region larger than Spain.

Nationally, loss in the past four decades is 111.7 million hectares – more than three times the size of Germany – a report from the Mapbiomas initiative.

The network consists of universities, non -governmental organizations and technological companies and mainly examines satellite images.

In 1985, Brazil had converted 60% of the land currently used for agriculture, mining, cities and infrastructure over almost five centuries. “The remaining 40% of this conversion occurred in just four decades, from 1985 to 2024,” said Tasso Azevedo, coordinator of Mapbiomas.

The most intense deforestation occurred between 1995 and 2004. However, over the past decade, this trend “has been accelerated by degradation, climate impacts and agricultural expansion,” said Julia Shimbo, scientific coordinator of Mapbiomas.

Overall, according to the report, the share of natural areas in Brazil increased from 80% in 1985 to 65% in 2024.

2024 driest year of the Pantanal

In the Pantanal – The largest wetland in the world – flood cycles have decreased with each decade, culminating in 2024 as the driest year of the last 40 years.

Last year, the surface of the water was 73% lower than the average for the years 1985 to 2024. Reduced humidity also favored devastating forest fires.

In Cerrado – Brazil’s wet savanns in the Southeast – around 40 million hectares of natural vegetation were released over four decades. This corresponds to a reduction of 28%.

President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva has promised “zero deforestation” for Brazil by 2030.

During the next 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in November in the city of Belém in the Amazon region, subjects such as action on climate change and deforestation will be discussed.

2025 DPA GmbH. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.