More than 10,000 alerts were detected, representing a 184% increase in deforested areas

The Atlantic Forest, the Caatinga, the Cerrado, and the Amazon were severely impacted by the increase in deforestation in all states of the Northeast Region of Brazil: Alagoas, Bahia, Ceará, Maranhão, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Piauí, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe. These biomes collectively suffered a loss of 352,006 hectares of native vegetation in 2020 - a growth of 184% compared to the previous year. These numbers are from the Annual Deforestation Report in Brazil - 2020, produced from data from MapBiomas Alert, and were presented in a webinar on Friday, July 16th. The event featured a complete presentation of the study and analyses with the participation of monitoring and enforcement agencies.

The data indicates 10,687 deforestation alerts detected in 2020 - representing a 243% growth compared to 2019. According to Washington Rocha, the coordinator of the Caatinga Team at MapBiomas Alert, the substantial growth in 2020 occurred because the Deforestation Alert System (SAD) Caatinga started to produce alerts, expanding the detection of deforested areas. "Agriculture, mainly in the western border of the region, on the agricultural frontier of western Bahia and part of MATOPIBA (Maranhão, Piauí, and Bahia), was the main driver of deforestation acceleration," comments Rocha. Among the states, Maranhão was the one that deforested the most in the Northeast: 167,366 hectares.

In the Northeast, 1,104 municipalities recorded deforestation out of a total of 1,793, meaning 61.57% of the municipalities experienced native vegetation loss in 2020. Balsas, in Maranhão, leads the ranking of municipalities that deforested the most in the region, with 28,751 hectares devastated, representing a 327% increase compared to 2019. Two cities in Bahia complete the podium: Formosa do Rio Preto, with 13,061 hectares (a growth of 66%), and São Desidério (BA), with 11,976 hectares deforested - but it had the highest growth, with 487%.

To enhance monitoring and combat illegal deforestation, MapBiomas signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Northeast Consortium on May 31. Through this partnership, project data will be used to generate knowledge about the territory and biomes of the region and promote preservation strategies.

Highlights about the Northeast region in the Annual Deforestation Report in Brazil - 2020:
– 10,687 alerts detectedValidated and refined (a 243% increase compared to 2019);
– 352,006 hectares of deforestation (an increase of 184% compared to 2019);
– In Northeast, 1,104 municipalities recorded deforestation, out of a total of 1,793, meaning 61.57% of the cities;
– Among the states, Maranhão was the one that deforested the most in the Northeast: 167,366 hectares. Balsas was the city with the highest deforestation, with 28,751 hectares devastated, 327% more than in 2019.
– Bahia appears in second place, with 108,315 hectares destroyed. The main impacted city was Formosa do Rio Preto, with 13,061 hectares lost.
– Piauí is in third position: it deforested 54,959 hectares. Currais, which devastated 10,490 hectares, was the standout municipality.
– Ceará, in fourth place, recorded 8,964 hectares of native vegetation suppressed during the period. The municipality that suffered the most deforestation was Tabuleiro do Norte, with 791 hectares destroyed.
– In Rio Grande do Norte, fifth in deforestation in the Northeast region, 4,002 hectares were deforested, and Caraúbas was the most impacted, with 450 hectares suppressed.
– Sixth place went to Pernambuco, with 3,821 hectares, and Bodocó had the largest area compromised, with 418 hectares.
– In seventh place was Paraíba, which destroyed 2,756 hectares. São José de Piranhas was the municipality with the most environmental damage, where 164 hectares were affected.
– Alagoas ranks eighth in deforestation in the Northeast (950 hectares), with Major Isidoro municipality standing out with 156 hectares deforested.
– Sergipe was the state that deforested the least: 870 hectares. The municipality with the most deforestation in the state was Monte Alegre de Sergipe, with 95 hectares.

On the upcoming Friday (23), the last regional webinar on the data from the Annual Deforestation Report in Brazil - 2020 will be held. The focus will be on the Midwest states. Follow it on the MapBiomas Youtube channel.

Access the full 2020 Annual Deforestation Report at MapBiomas Alert website.