THE GOVERNMENT REPORTS ON DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON AT ITS CONVENIENCE

In the late afternoon of Friday (28) INPE (Space Research Institute) released the results of the "DETER" (Real-time Deforestation Detection)  for the months of August, September and October 2014. The results, already reported by Folha de S. Paulo on November 11, confirms a strong acceleration in deforestation, with alerts that indicate a total area lost to 171% this quarter, compared to the same quarter of the previous year. The graph below shows the "desmatamento" (deforestation) from August to October in the years 2013 and 2014.

[As reported on www.oeco.org.br]

The delay in full electoral campaign for President of Brazil created the suspicion that the Government wanted to hide an increase. Then came the good news of the fall of the annual result. But we must bear in mind that have been deforested 4,848 km2 (more than three times the size of the city of São Paulo).

In August 2014, there was 890.2 km2, deforestation alert against 288.6 km2 in August 2013; in September 736 km2, against 442.85 km2; in October, the number stood at 297.9 km2, against 154.79 km2.

The main cause of deforestation is the opening of areas for livestock.