Record levels of deforestation are likely occurring in nationally protected parts of the Brazilian Amazon.
Here’s how we discovered this 👇
#DailyClimateShow
Satellites monitor the Amazon and detect changes in the forest canopy. They issue warnings when they pick up signs of deforestation
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Sky News analysed this data and found that the protected area with the most warnings issued to it this year was Jamanxim National Forest
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Since 2019 this region in central Brazil has recorded deforestation alerts covering an area equivalent in size to the Isle of Wight - seen in black on this image 👇
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Much of the deforestation in Jamanxim has been linked to the neighbouring town of Novo Progresso
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Cattle ranchers, gold miners, and loggers often use the town as a base before venturing into the forest
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We focused our investigation on one plot of land we found on satellite imagery in the national forest 20 miles from Novo Progresso.
Here is an image of the area last year 👇
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But by June this year the forest had been removed 👇
We wanted to see if we could find out who was behind this environmental damage
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We used the land registry and other government databases to reveal a network of politicians and business people who are damaging the forest in Jamanxim.
But this instance was just one example of the forest being harmed...
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This graph shows that in May this year, deforestation warnings in nationally protected areas of the Brazilian Amazon hit record levels
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It continued a trend of increased forest damage in nationally protected zones since President Bolsonaro came to power in 2019
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To find out more and exactly who was behind the deforestation in Jamanxim, read the full story here 👇
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You can also catch more about this story on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon on tonight's #DailyClimateShow.
🕡 6:30pm
📺 Sky 501/Freeview 233
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