Lula won last year's election pledging to end deforestation
after years of surging destruction under his predecessor Jair
Bolsonaro, but has faced continued challenges since taking
office as environmental agency Ibama grapples with lack of
staff.
Official data from space research agency Inpe showed that 328.71
square km (126.92 square miles) were cleared in the Brazilian
Amazon last month, below the historical average of 455.75 square
km for the month.
That interrupted two consecutive months of higher deforestation,
with land clearing so far this year now down 40.4% to 1,173
square km.
Bolsonaro had slashed environmental protection efforts, cutting
funding and staff at key agencies as he called for more farming
and mining on protected lands.
Experts say it is still too early to confirm a downward trend,
as the annual peak in deforestation from July to September lies
ahead, but see it as a positive signal after rainforest
destruction rocketed in late 2022.
"There are several factors, and the change in government might
indeed be one of them," said Daniel Silva, a conservation
specialist at WWF-Brasil. "The environmental agenda has been
resumed, but we know time is necessary for the results to be
reaped."
Lula has said it is urgent for Brazil to show his government is
not only talking about protecting the environment, but that it
is on its way to fulfill a commitment to end deforestation by
2030.
Earlier this month he reaffirmed that pledge when securing an 80
million-pound ($100.97 million) contribution from Britain to the
Amazon fund, an initiative aimed at fighting deforestation also
backed by Norway, Germany and the United States.
Previously he had also resumed the recognition of Indigenous
lands, reversing a Bolsonaro policy, while announcing new job
openings at the environment ministry and indigenous agency Funai.
($1 = 0.7923 pounds)
(Reporting by Gabriel Araujo; Editing by Steven Grattan and
Louise Heavens)
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