Brazil's Amazon deforestation drops 61% in May 2026

The Real‑Time Deforestation Detection System (DETER) reported that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon Legal fell 61.4% in May 2026, from 960 km² in May 2025 to 370 km² – the largest percentage decrease ever recorded. For the aggregated period August 2025 to May 2026, cleared area dropped 37.5% to 2,189 km², also a historic low.

Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco said the fall reflects intensified monitoring and field work by Ibama and ICMBio, noting that May traditionally sees a rise due to the dry season. He added, “Nós monitoramos isso dia a dia com uma certa aflição… conseguimos esse feito fundamental.” The ministry expects the lowest annual total to be confirmed by July 31.

DETER alerts indicated 37.1% of detections occurred on regularized private lands, 21.3% on public forest, and 17.4% in undocumented areas. The Cerrado biome also showed a 12.2% decline in May.

Separately, the U.S. Trade Representative’s office proposed a 25% punitive tariff on Brazilian products, citing alleged “unreasonable” practices linked to illegal deforestation. Brazilian officials counter that enforcement actions are producing proven results, with Capobianco stating, “Isso mostra que o controle de desmatamento na Amazônia está funcionando.”