Amazon loses London-sized area of rainforest in a month with Bolsonaro's reign under threat

Amazon deforestation has soared ahead of Brazil’s environmentally vital presidential election, with an area almost the size of Greater London lost last month alone.

Government satellites show a 1,455 km² (562 mi²) area of rainforest was destroyed in September, as environmental criminals raced to wreck the region before a possible change of president could bring Jair Bolsonaro’s era of destruction to an end.

A recently deforested stretch of forest near the Amazon town of Itaituba seen during a monitoring flight on 26 August

The Climate Observatory watchdog said that figure was up 47.7% compared with last September and on a par with the destruction wrought in September 2019, the first year of Bolsonaro’s far-right administration. August saw a 81% rise in deforestation.

The number of Amazon fires rose 147% compared with September 2021, with more than 41,000 blazes detected by satellites.

“This is a very dangerous moment,” warned Marcio Astrini, the Climate Observatory’s chief executive. “The Bolsonaro government is a forest-destroying machine.”

At: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/07/brazil-rainforest-loss-climate-bolsonaro

A recently deforested area contrasts with a lush Amazon landscape in Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso State, Brazil.

The rate of Amazon deforestation jumped sharply after a right-wing legislative coup ousted former President Dilma Rousseff - from 2,400 mi² in 2015 (Rousseff's last full year in office) to over 5,000 mi² last year.

It rose by a further two-thirds so far this year, as loggers rush to harvest lumber before Bolsonaro's likely loss in runoff elections this October 30th.