Brazil's Amazon Deforestation Plunges Under President Lula

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon dropped by one-third in the first six months of President Lula's administration compared to the same period last year under President Bolsonaro.
The reduction in deforestation is seen as an encouraging sign for environmentalists as Lula campaigned on promises to address illegal logging and limit environmental devastation.
Lula's government has taken steps such as strengthening remote surveillance, doubling deforestation fines, and seizing illegally raised cattle to combat deforestation.
Lula pledged to rebuild Brazil's environmental law enforcement and end net deforestation in the Amazon by 2030, but still faces challenges such as lack of personnel and resources.
The drop in June's deforestation alerts, which marks the start of the dry season, is particularly significant, but more needs to be done as there were over 3,000 fires in the Amazon in June, the most since 2007.