The year 2024 saw significant developments in tropical rainforest conservation, deforestation, and degradation. While progress in some regions provided glimmers of hope, systemic challenges and emerging threats highlighted the fragility of these ecosystems. Although a complete comparison of tropical forest loss in 2024 with previous years is not yet available, there are currently no indications that this year’s loss will be markedly higher. A sharp decline in deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon—partially offset by widespread forest fires—suggests the overall rate of loss may be lower. This analysis explores key storylines, examining the political, environmental, and economic dynamics shaping tropical rainforests in 2024. A respite in the Brazilian Amazon: Deforestation declines amid rising fires The Brazilian Amazon experienced a notable decline in deforestation in 2024, offering a rare glimmer of optimism for the embattled rainforest. According to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE), forest loss fell by 30.6% between August 2023 and July 2024, reaching its lowest level in nine years. The 6,288 square kilometers of rainforest cleared—a swath roughly the size of Delaware—marks the smallest annual loss since 2015. The slowdown is part of a three-year trend attributed to increased enforcement against illegal logging and land grabbing under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration. Lula’s government has also made strides in promoting sustainable development and increasing protections for Indigenous lands, including reinstating demarcations. Nevertheless, critics argue that the administration’s environmental legacy is tarnished by policies permitting oil exploration near the Amazon River and the paving of the controversial…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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