Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has dropped to its lowest level in ten years during the first half of 2026, according to newly released government data.

The figures, published on Friday, represent a significant achievement for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has made reducing destruction in the world’s largest rainforest a central goal of his administration.

Between January and June, approximately 1,295 square kilometres (500 square miles) of forest were cleared in the Brazilian Amazon. This marks a 38 percent decline compared with the same period in 2025, based on data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). It is also the lowest midyear total recorded since 2016.

Deforestation in Brazil had surged in recent years, peaking around 2022 under Lula’s far-right predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. During that year alone, an area equivalent to 13 times the size of New York City was cleared.

Bolsonaro promoted what he described as “sustainable development” and expanded mining activity in the Amazon. Critics, however, argue that his policies weakened environmental oversight and undermined Indigenous land protections, contributing to increased forest loss.

In the 2022 presidential election, Lula defeated Bolsonaro after campaigning on promises to strengthen environmental protections. He reaffirmed Brazil’s pledge to eliminate illegal deforestation by 2030 and restore the country’s credibility on climate issues.

In Lula’s first year back in office, the deforestation rate was cut in half, and the downward trend has continued since then.

Despite these gains, Lula has faced criticism over other environmental decisions. Opponents have questioned his government’s approval of expanded oil exploration projects near the mouth of the Amazon River, arguing that such moves contradict his conservation agenda.

Lula has also had to manage strained relations with the United States under President Donald Trump, a political ally of Bolsonaro.

Trump openly criticised Brazil’s prosecution of Bolsonaro on charges related to an alleged attempt to overturn the 2022 election results. Bolsonaro was later sentenced to 27 years in prison.

In June, US officials proposed a new set of tariffs on Brazilian goods, citing concerns over trade practices and illegal deforestation.

Brazil’s government has countered that the latest deforestation figures weaken those accusations, pointing to measurable progress in protecting the rainforest.

“They do not recognise the effort we are making to reduce deforestation to zero by 2030. This is not a decision imposed by any international conference or by the United Nations,” Lula said, referring to global climate summits. “It is a commitment made by our government.”

Environmental researchers have credited Brazil with playing a crucial role in the global slowdown of rainforest destruction last year. The decline followed Lula’s relaunch of a national anti-deforestation strategy and tougher enforcement against environmental crimes.

The Amazon rainforest, the largest on Earth, absorbs vast quantities of carbon dioxide and plays a vital role in stabilising the global climate. Scientists and environmental organisations closely monitor deforestation rates, as forest loss remains the primary source of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Lula is now campaigning for what would be his fourth, non-consecutive term as president. He previously served two terms from 2003 to 2011.

In the presidential election scheduled for October, the 80-year-old incumbent is expected to face Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the eldest son of Jair Bolsonaro, who has become a leading figure on the political right.