The Amazon rainforest in Brazil has lost an enormous amount of forest cover over the last 40 years — an area roughly the size of Spain. This major loss has raised alarms among scientists, who say the Amazon may be close to a point where it can no longer recover.
New data released Monday by the environmental project MapBiomas shows that from 1985 to 2024, the forest shrank by more than 49 million hectares, or around 121 million acres. This equals about 13% of the Amazon’s original plant life, including all native vegetation.
Experts warn that if this continues, the rainforest may reach a level of destruction that could permanently damage its ability to support plants, animals, and weather patterns.
Scientists warn of irreversible change in Amazon after decades of loss
Bruno Ferreira, a researcher at MapBiomas, explained that the rainforest is nearing a dangerous limit. According to Ferreira, losing between 20% and 25% of the Amazon’s vegetation could prevent it from functioning like a rainforest. That means less rain, hotter temperatures, and more risk of the forest turning into dry land, similar to a savanna.
This shift would not only harm local wildlife but could also worsen climate change across the globe.
Brazil is home to about 60% of the Amazon rainforest, which stretches across nine South American countries. The country is preparing to host a major international climate summit in November — COP30 — in the city of Belem, located within the Amazon region.
Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon is driven by farming and fire
The study pointed to livestock farming as one of the main reasons for forest loss. Since 1985, cattle farming in the Amazon has increased fivefold. This expansion has cleared large areas of forest for pasture.
Although deforestation rates had slowed after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva returned to office in 2023, recent climate events have reversed that progress.
A severe drought between August 2024 and July 2025 sparked widespread wildfires across the Amazon. As a result, deforestation rose by 4% during that time. These fires destroyed large patches of forest and further weakened the rainforest’s ability to bounce back.
Scientists say urgent action is needed to prevent further damage and protect what remains of the Amazon — often called the “lungs of the Earth” for its role in absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.