Brazilian Amazon deforestation surges to break August records
Source: The Guardian
Brazilian Amazon deforestation surges to break August records
1,114.8 sq km cut down this month, the same area as Hong Kong – on top of damage from fires
Jonathan Watts Global environment editor
@jonathanwatts
Tue 27 Aug 2019 17.14 BST Last modified on Tue 27 Aug 2019 17.42 BST
Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon has hit the highest August level since the current monitoring system began in 2015, underscoring concerns about the weakening of forest protection under President Jair Bolsonaro.
The world’s biggest terrestrial carbon sink lost 1,114.8 sq km (430 sq miles) – equivalent to the area of Hong Kong – in the first 26 days of this month, according to preliminary data from the government’s satellite monitoring agency. The data does not include damage caused by fires currently sweeping parts of the Amazon.
After an even greater surge in July, the country has now experienced the two worst months recorded by the Deter-B satellite system, which was put in place in 2015 to provide short-term alerts to forest rangers.
Scientists warn this year’s clearcutting of forest is now likely to pass 10,000 sq km for the first time in a decade, raising concerns that Brazil is slipping back towards the dark years of 1995-2004.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/27/brazilian-amazon-deforestation-surges-to-break-august-records