Brazil's Atlantic Forest Cuts Deforestation 40% to 8,658 Hectares, Lowest in 40 Years
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · May 14
Brazil's Atlantic Forest Cuts Deforestation 40% to 8,658 Hectares, Lowest in 40 Years
7 articles · Updated · The Guardian · May 14
8,658 hectares of Atlantic forest were cleared in 2025, the first time annual deforestation fell below 10,000 hectares since monitoring began in 1985.
A 40% drop from 14,366 hectares in 2024 was driven by public pressure, civil-society mobilisation, environmental policies and enforcement, according to SOS Mata Atlântica and partner monitors.
A second dataset, using newer satellites, also showed a decline—down 28% to 38,385 hectares in 2025—while the NGO said the biome could reach zero deforestation within three years if the trend holds.
Risks to that progress are mounting: Congress has enacted a law weakening environmental licensing, and environmentalists warn an October victory by far-right senator Flávio Bolsonaro could revive the pro-deforestation policies seen under his father.
The Atlantic forest remains Brazil's most threatened and urbanised biome, home to 80% of the population but reduced to 24% of its original cover, making each remaining fragment more consequential.
Will Brazil's upcoming election secure its global climate leadership or trigger a new wave of forest destruction?
As new laws gut Brazil's environmental enforcement, is its historic conservation victory about to be erased?
Historic Drop in Atlantic Forest Deforestation: Pathways, Risks, and the Race Toward Zero Loss in Brazil (2025 Report)
Overview
In 2025, Brazil's Atlantic Forest saw a historic drop in deforestation, reaching its lowest level in 40 years. The total area cleared fell to 8,658 hectares, marking the first time since 1985 that deforestation dropped below 10,000 hectares. This progress was highlighted by a 40% reduction from the previous year, with deforestation decreasing from 14,366 to 8,658 hectares. These achievements reflect stronger environmental policies, increased public pressure, and effective monitoring, offering hope for the future of this vital biome and setting a positive example for conservation efforts.