Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest dropped to its lowest annual level since 2011, according to data from the country's space research agency INPE. The figures show a 42 percent reduction compared to the previous year.
Officials attributed the decline to a combination of strengthened enforcement, increased use of satellite monitoring, and new legislation imposing stiffer penalties on illegal logging operations.
Cautious Optimism
Environmental organizations welcomed the data but cautioned that the gains are fragile. Fire season, which runs from July through October, could reverse progress if dry conditions persist.
