Sao Paulo (AFP)

Deforestation in the Amazon, the world's largest tropical forest, has reached a record after a six-monthly increase of 25%, a Brazilian institute announced Friday at the start of the dry season which will mark the resumption of fires.

Deforestation in the Brazilian part of the Amazon, or 60% of the forest, has affected 3,069 km2, the highest figure since the compilation of these data, announced the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). This represents an increase of 25% compared to the period from January to June 2019.

As for the month of June alone, which marks the start of a dry season extending until October, it too was marked by a record with 1,034 km2 deforested (+ 11%), according to INPE data. collected by satellite.

Deforestation is mainly caused by illegal logging for the timber industry, mining and agricultural activities: crops, and for a very large part, cattle breeding.

INPE data show, for each month since January, an increase in deforestation compared to the same month last year, despite a military presence in the Amazon and international pressure in defense of the forest.

"Last year the curves of (deforestation) skyrocketed, and this should not be repeated," Mariana Napolitano, from WWF-Brazil, the World Wildlife Fund, told AFP.

But "not only is it repeating, but it is worse, despite the military presence in the region".

President Jair Bolsonaro had decreed sending troops to the Amazon in May and is expected to ban farm burns for the next four months that cover the dry season next week, his cabinet said on Thursday.

- "See results" -

Brazil is the target of constant criticism and pressure from many countries and environmentalists for deforestation and the large-scale fires that ravage the forest every year, two scourges that combine.

June was also the worst month in 13 years for forest fires, with 2,248 households recorded, an increase of 19.5% compared to June 2019.

The fires that had smoked up vast areas of the Amazon last year had sparked strong emotion abroad and virulent arms deals between President Jair Bolsonaro, a climate skeptic, and several Western capitals.

The preservation of the Amazon is essential for maintaining the ecological balance of the planet and the way of life of the indigenous populations who live there.

President Bolsonaro, who has never shown concern for the environment, has repeatedly indicated that he intends to open indigenous territories and protected nature reserves to mining or agricultural activities - those that most promote deforestation.

Brazil's vice president Hamilton Mourao said Thursday that representatives of international investment funds had conditioned their participation in environmental projects to "results" in the fight against deforestation.

"At no time have they pledged to provide funds, they want to see results, a reduction in deforestation," he said at a press conference after a videoconference with investors. .

In late June, investment funds from Europe, Asia and South America weighing more than $ 4 billion had threatened in an open letter to Jair Bolsonaro to withdraw their investments in Brazil if the government failed to contain the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

"It is not true that the forest is destroyed to produce food," said the vice president, who coordinates the National Council of the Amazon.

© 2020 AFP