Deforestation is at an all-time high in the Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest — significantly higher than during the same period last year. Latest data released by Brazil’s National Institute of Space Research (INPE) shows that deforestation accelerated in the months of May and June.
INPE revealed that about 769.1 square kilometers of rain forest were lost in June compared to 488.4 square kilometers during the same period in 2018. Experts say this is equvalient to just larger than one and a half soccer fields being destroyed every minute of everyday.
Senior analyst Matt Piotrowski at Climate Advisers pointed out that cattle ranching has the greatest impact on Amazon deforestation in Brazil. Piotrowski said estimates suggest that 80 percent of deforestation throughout the entire Amazon stems from this industry, either directly or indirectly.
He also said soy is increasingly a threat to the Amazon. “There are other important drivers of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon,” Piotrowski explained. “Amid Brazil’s agricultural boom, infrastructure development — particularly roads and railways, in connection with the increased production, transportation, export and consumption of commodities has also led to more clearing of land,” he said.
