Brazil's Prodes data show Amazon clearing at lowest level since 1988

Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) released its annual Prodes satellite figures on 16 October 2026. They show 3,335 square kilometres of Amazon forest cleared in the 12 months to 31 July 2026, about 42% (41.8%) below the 5,731 km² recorded the year before. It is the lowest figure since the series began in 1988, beating the previous low of 4,571 km² in 2011–12. Clearing has fallen every year since 2022 and is down 71.2% over four years.

Deforestation in the neighbouring Cerrado savanna fell about 24% to roughly 5,516 km², the lowest since its records began in 2001. The Amazon figure is a preliminary estimate that will be confirmed next year. Prodes measures from August to July because lower mid-year cloud cover hides less clearing in satellite images.

Why it matters: Prodes is one of the longest-running operational satellite deforestation records, and its results show what sustained optical monitoring and enforcement can achieve. Congo Basin and other African forest monitoring programmes can draw on this model.