From 95% impunity to 35%: Brazil's deforestation fight transforms

Brazil has achieved a remarkable reduction in impunity for illegal deforestation, decreasing the rate from 95% in 2019 to 35% today. This significant shift is primarily driven by the systematic deployment of satellite monitoring, a technology that has proven instrumental in environmental enforcement. Despite this success, legislative efforts to limit the use of such oversight tools are underway, raising concerns among experts.

In 2025, deforestation alerts resulted in government action for 65% of cases, a stark contrast to 2019 when only 5% of alerts led to consequences. Forest Engineer Tasso Azevedo highlights that this progress is due to the utilization of satellite-produced information by both states and the federal government. He noted that 80% of deforestation in 2025 occurred on registered private properties, affecting only 0.6% of properties listed in the Rural Environmental Registry.

Concerns extend beyond deforestation to global methane emission challenges. Accurately measuring these emissions and translating data into effective policies remains a complex global issue. Experts point to inequalities in data access and the capacity to implement actions based on this information. Underreporting of fugitive emissions is prevalent, partly due to a lack of widespread mandates for verification mechanisms.

Solutions for reducing emissions, particularly in the oil and gas sector, are known, including leak detection programs and reducing gas flaring. The primary obstacle is not a lack of technology but rather the implementation and enforcement of existing solutions, alongside ensuring transparency in corporate climate and sustainability disclosures.