Deforestation in the Amazon grew by 9.5% from August 2019 to July 2020 compared to the previous period, from 2018 to 2019. In total, 11,088 km² of forest were cut down despite the Army's presence under Operation Green Brazil 2.
The consolidated data for the year, released on Monday (30th), is the first that solely reflects the Jair Bolsonaro administration's management.
The deforested area is the largest in the last decade, according to consolidated data from Prodes (Project for Monitoring Deforestation in the Legal Amazon by Satellite), from Inpe (National Institute for Space Research). The amount is provisional, and the definitive will be presented only next year.
General Hamilton Mourão, Vice President of the Republic and head of the Amazon Council, and Marcos Pontes, Minister of Science and Technology, attended the press event where the data was disclosed. Ricardo Salles, Minister of the Environment, was not present.
During a press conference, Mourão made a tougher speech related to deforestation than the statements traditionally made by the Bolsonaro government members.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon