This page collects deforestation alert data published by Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and Imazon, a Brazilian NGO. INPE’s system is called DETER for Sistema de Detecção do Desmatamento na Amazônia Legal em Tempo Real, while Imazon’s system is called SAD for Sistema de Alerta de Deforestation.
As explained here, month-to-month deforestation is highly variable. Short-term, alert-based deforestation detection systems do not penetrate cloud cover, so during the rainy season — from roughly November to April — estimates are notoriously unreliable when compared to the same month a year earlier. Furthermore, most forest clearing in the Amazon occurs when it is dry. So if the dry season is early, deforestation may increase earlier than normal. For these reasons, the most accurate deforestation comparisons are made year-on-year. For Brazil, the deforestation “year” ends July 31: the peak of the dry season when the largest extent of forest is typically visible via satellite.
Short-term data isn’t useless though — it can provide insights on trends, especially over longer periods of time. Generally, comparing 12 consecutive months of alert data will provide a pretty good indication of deforestation relative to other years. Therefore the charts below include monthly data as well as the 12-month moving average (Trailing Twelve Months = “TTM”).
Last update: 2019-Oct-10
Table: Monthly deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
| Month | DETER | DETER TTM | SAD | SAD TTM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 2008 | 1,124 | 156 | ||
| May 2008 | 1,096 | 9,190 | 294 | 5,603 |
| Jun 2008 | 871 | 9,064 | 612 | 5,716 |
| Jul 2008 | 324 | 8,536 | 276 | 5,031 |
| Aug 2008 | 757 | 7,835 | 102 | 4,470 |
| Sep 2008 | 587 | 8,400 | 321 | 3,679 |
| Oct 2008 | 541 | 8,457 | 102 | 3,257 |
| Nov 2008 | 355 | 8,554 | 61 | 2,251 |
| Dec 2008 | 177 | 8,013 | 50 | 2,233 |
| Jan 2009 | 222 | 7,342 | 51 | 2,202 |
| Feb 2009 | 143 | 6,925 | 62 | 2,201 |
| Mar 2009 | 18 | 6,343 | 57 | 2,144 |
| Apr 2009 | 37 | 6,214 | 121 | 2,109 |
| May 2009 | 124 | 5,127 | 157 | 1,972 |
| Jun 2009 | 578 | 4,155 | 150 | 1,510 |
| Jul 2009 | 836 | 3,862 | 532 | 1,766 |
| Aug 2009 | 498 | 4,375 | 273 | 1,937 |
| Sep 2009 | 400 | 4,116 | 216 | 1,832 |
| Oct 2009 | 176 | 3,929 | 194 | 1,924 |
| Nov 2009 | 72 | 3,564 | 74 | 1,937 |
| Dec 2009 | 3,281 | 16 | 1,903 | |
| Jan 2010 | 23 | 3,104 | 63 | 1,915 |
| Feb 2010 | 185 | 2,905 | 88 | 1,941 |
| Mar 2010 | 52 | 2,947 | 76 | 1,960 |
| Apr 2010 | 52 | 2,981 | 65 | 1,904 |
| May 2010 | 110 | 2,996 | 96 | 1,843 |
| Jun 2010 | 244 | 2,982 | 172 | 1,865 |
| Jul 2010 | 485 | 2,647 | 155 | 1,488 |
| Aug 2010 | 265 | 2,296 | 210 | 1,425 |
| Sep 2010 | 448 | 2,063 | 170 | 1,379 |
| Oct 2010 | 389 | 2,111 | 153 | 1,338 |
| Nov 2010 | 121 | 2,324 | 65 | 1,329 |
| Dec 2010 | 21 | 2,372 | 175 | 1,488 |
| Jan 2011 | 36 | 2,394 | 83 | 1,508 |
| Feb 2011 | 1 | 2,407 | 63 | 1,483 |
| Mar 2011 | 116 | 2,223 | 46 | 1,453 |
| Apr 2011 | 477 | 2,287 | 298 | 1,686 |
| May 2011 | 268 | 2,712 | 165 | 1,755 |
| Jun 2011 | 313 | 2,871 | 99 | 1,682 |
| Jul 2011 | 225 | 2,940 | 93 | 1,620 |
| Aug 2011 | 163 | 2,680 | 240 | 1,650 |
| Sep 2011 | 254 | 2,578 | 170 | 1,650 |
| Oct 2011 | 386 | 2,384 | 102 | 1,599 |
| Nov 2011 | 133 | 2,381 | 16 | 1,550 |
| Dec 2011 | 75 | 2,393 | 40 | 1,415 |
| Jan 2012 | 22 | 2,446 | 33 | 1,365 |
| Feb 2012 | 307 | 2,432 | 107 | 1,409 |
| Mar 2012 | 60 | 2,737 | 53 | 1,416 |
| Apr 2012 | 233 | 2,681 | 71 | 1,189 |
| May 2012 | 99 | 2,437 | 43 | 1,067 |
| Jun 2012 | 108 | 2,268 | 35 | 1,003 |
| Jul 2012 | 214 | 2,062 | 140 | 1,050 |
| Aug 2012 | 522 | 2,051 | 232 | 1,042 |
| Sep 2012 | 283 | 2,410 | 431 | 1,303 |
| Oct 2012 | 277 | 2,439 | 487 | 1,688 |
| Nov 2012 | 205 | 2,331 | 55 | 1,727 |
| Dec 2012 | 131 | 2,403 | 82 | 1,769 |
| Jan 2013 | 9 | 2,459 | 35 | 1,771 |
| Feb 2013 | 270 | 2,447 | 45 | 1,709 |
| Mar 2013 | 28 | 2,410 | 80 | 1,736 |
| Apr 2013 | 147 | 2,378 | 140 | 1,805 |
| May 2013 | 465 | 2,293 | 84 | 1,846 |
| Jun 2013 | 210 | 2,659 | 184 | 1,995 |
| Jul 2013 | 217 | 2,762 | 152 | 2,007 |
| Aug 2013 | 289 | 2,766 | 185 | 1,960 |
| Sep 2013 | 443 | 2,532 | 103 | 1,632 |
| Oct 2013 | 155 | 2,692 | 43 | 1,188 |
| Nov 2013 | 108 | 2,569 | 37 | 1,170 |
| Dec 2013 | 93 | 2,472 | 56 | 1,144 |
| Jan 2014 | 75 | 2,434 | 107 | 1,216 |
| Feb 2014 | 119 | 2,500 | 11 | 1,182 |
| Mar 2014 | 53 | 2,349 | 20 | 1,122 |
| Apr 2014 | 166 | 2,374 | 100 | 1,082 |
| May 2014 | 271 | 2,394 | 185 | 1,183 |
| Jun 2014 | 535 | 2,200 | 843 | 1,842 |
| Jul 2014 | 729 | 2,525 | 355 | 2,045 |
| Aug 2014 | 890 | 3,036 | 437 | 2,297 |
| Sep 2014 | 736 | 3,638 | 402 | 2,596 |
| Oct 2014 | 298 | 3,931 | 244 | 2,797 |
| Nov 2014 | 77 | 4,074 | 195 | 2,955 |
| Dec 2014 | 85 | 4,043 | 95 | 2,994 |
| Jan 2015 | 129 | 4,035 | 289 | 3,176 |
| Feb 2015 | 61 | 4,089 | 42 | 3,207 |
| Mar 2015 | 155 | 4,031 | 58 | 3,245 |
| Apr 2015 | 334 | 4,133 | 137 | 3,282 |
| May 2015 | 588 | 4,301 | 389 | 3,486 |
| Jun 2015 | 855 | 4,618 | 494 | 3,137 |
| Jul 2015 | 914 | 4,937 | 542 | 3,324 |
| Aug 2015 | 654 | 5,122 | 415 | 3,302 |
| Sep 2015 | 504 | 4,885 | 229 | 3,129 |
| Oct 2015 | 377 | 4,653 | 230 | 3,115 |
| Nov 2015 | 240 | 4,732 | 99 | 3,019 |
| Dec 2015 | 89 | 4,896 | 175 | 3,099 |
| Jan 2016 | 63 | 4,899 | 52 | 2,862 |
| Feb 2016 | 534 | 4,832 | 0 | 2,820 |
| Mar 2016 | 123 | 5,305 | 213 | 2,975 |
| Apr 2016 | 436 | 5,274 | 183 | 3,021 |
| May 2016 | 784 | 5,375 | 474 | 3,106 |
| Jun 2016 | 1,431 | 5,571 | 972 | 3,584 |
| Jul 2016 | 738 | 6,147 | 539 | 3,581 |
| Aug 2016 | 1,023 | 5,972 | 582 | 3,748 |
| Sep 2016 | 688 | 6,160 | 387 | 3,906 |
| Oct 2016 | 741 | 6,350 | 202 | 3,878 |
| Nov 2016 | 366 | 6,403 | 37 | 3,816 |
| Dec 2016 | 17 | 6,147 | 0 | 3,641 |
| Jan 2017 | 58 | 5,971 | 42 | 3,631 |
| Feb 2017 | 101 | 5,956 | 0 | 3,631 |
| Mar 2017 | 74 | 5,721 | 97 | 3,515 |
| Apr 2017 | 125 | 5,420 | 96 | 3,428 |
| May 2017 | 348 | 5,238 | 365 | 3,319 |
| Jun 2017 | 589 | 4,876 | 537 | 2,884 |
| Jul 2017 | 455 | 4,585 | 544 | 2,889 |
| Aug 2017 | 289 | 3,852 | 184 | 2,491 |
| Sep 2017 | 393 | 3,556 | 241 | 2,345 |
| Oct 2017 | 456 | 3,272 | 261 | 2,404 |
| Nov 2017 | 359 | 3,265 | 56 | 2,423 |
| Dec 2017 | 289 | 3,538 | 184 | 2,607 |
| Jan 2018 | 179 | 3,658 | 70 | 2,635 |
| Feb 2018 | 151 | 3,708 | 214 | 2,849 |
| Mar 2018 | 358 | 3,993 | 287 | 3,039 |
| Apr 2018 | 508 | 4,376 | 217 | 3,160 |
| May 2018 | 538 | 4,565 | 634 | 3,429 |
| Jun 2018 | 505 | 4,481 | 1,169 | 4,061 |
| Jul 2018 | 610 | 4,635 | 778 | 4,295 |
| Aug 2018 | 520 | 4,865 | 545 | 4,656 |
| Sep 2018 | 723 | 5,195 | 444 | 4,859 |
| Oct 2018 | 491 | 5,230 | 187 | 4,785 |
| Nov 2018 | 265 | 5,136 | 287 | 5,016 |
| Dec 2018 | 66 | 4,914 | 246 | 5,078 |
| Jan 2019 | 140 | 4,875 | 108 | 5,116 |
| Feb 2019 | 131 | 4,855 | 93 | 4,995 |
| Mar 2019 | 242 | 4,739 | 67 | 4,775 |
| Apr 2019 | 238 | 4,468 | 195 | 4,753 |
| May 2019 | 702 | 4,633 | 797 | 4,916 |
| Jun 2019 | 919 | 5,048 | 801 | 4,548 |
| Jul 2019 | 2,092 | 6,530 | 1,287 | 5,057 |
| Aug 2019 | 1,694 | 7,705 | 886 | 5,398 |
| Sep 2019 | 1,341 | 8,323 |
In August 2016, the table data for the DETER columns switches from DETER to DETER-B, Brazil’s new deforestation detection system.
- Latest environmentalist arrest shocks Vietnam’s battered civil societyby Isabel Esterman on June 2, 2023 at 5:37 pm
Police in Vietnam have detained prominent environmentalist Hoang Thi Minh Hong, known as Hong Hoang, on tax evasion charges frequently used against critics of the government’s environmental policies. Hong, who was taken into custody on May 31, is an Obama Foundation Scholar and founded the Center of Hands-on Action and Networking for Growth and Environment
- ‘Shocking’ levels of pangolin deaths from electric fences (commentary)by Erik Hoffner on June 2, 2023 at 5:26 pm
“South Africa loses between 1,000 and 2,000 pangolins each year to fence electrocutions. This far overshadows the number of individuals that are illegally poached and trafficked,” says Dr Darren Pietersen, one of South Africa’s leading pangolin researchers. There are eight pangolin species worldwide, with four occurring in Asia and four in Africa. Of the four
- Majority of Brazil’s Congress votes to restrict Indigenous land advancesby Latoyaabulu on June 2, 2023 at 4:46 pm
SÃO PAULO — On Tuesday, Brazil’s Lower House of Congress overwhelmingly voted and approved a bill to restrict the legal recognition of Indigenous territories throughout the country. Among many changes, the bill 490/2007 establishes a time frame — marco temporal in Portuguese — that only recognizes Indigenous land rights if they were living there or
- Protected areas store a year’s worth of CO₂ emissions, study revealsby Nandithachandraprakash on June 2, 2023 at 2:20 pm
Researchers analyzed never-before-used satellite data to calculate how much carbon is stored in protected areas worldwide.
- Spotlighting oil majors’ ‘ecocide’ of Niger Delta: Q&A with Michael J. Wattsby Ashoka on June 2, 2023 at 11:47 am
In May, a commission of experts appointed by the governor of Nigeria’s Bayelsa state released its long-awaited report on the impact of oil production on the small riverine state. The report detailed years of oil spills, gas flaring, and other pollution from facilities owned by companies like Shell and Eni, with devastating impacts on biodiversity