The positive result points out that the zero-tolerance policy with illegal deforestation and state government investments have yielded results
By Lorena Bruschi | Sema-MT
The deforested area in Mato Grosso during 2022 decreased 13.8% compared to last year. The data were released by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) in the annual report of the Project for Monitoring Deforestation in the Legal Amazon by Satellite (Prodes), which is considered accurate to measure annual rates and represents the official measurement of the country.
The period investigated was from August 2021 to July 2022, completing 12 months. The comparison is made with the same period of the previous year. For Mato Grosso, the positive result points out that the zero tolerance policy with illegal deforestation, and the investments of the state government in surveillance, efficiency of environmental licensing, and satellite monitoring, have had an effect.
"This year there were more than R$ 60 million invested in enforcement and control actions, but also in strategies to prevent deforestation, such as the dismantling of offenders with the seizure of machinery, and operations focused on identifying and stopping deforestation at an early stage" explains Alex Marega, Executive Secretary of the Secretary of State for Environment of Mato Grosso.
In the period 2021/2022, deforestation reached 11.5 thousand km², while the area identified in 2020/2021 was 13 thousand km². In the last 20 years, the reduction was 85% in the deforested area in the state. Currently, Mato Grosso maintains 62% of its territory fully preserved, even though it is the main producer of commodities in the country.
Efficiency in environmental licensing also contributes to increased legality in the countryside. In the first quarter of this year, the legal opening of areas reached 38% of the registered deforestation in the state. This index was about 5% in 2018.
Legal deforestation occurs within the framework of the Forest Code, which is the most restrictive environmental legislation in the world. In the Amazon biome, a private property must preserve 80% of the forest standing, and can suppress the vegetation of 20% of the area after the legal process of authorization by the state environmental agency.
Results-based financing
Mato Grosso receives international funds as payment for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and forest valuation through the REM MT Program (REDD+ Program for Early Movers).
The Satellite Image Monitoring platform, which quickly detects all vegetation changes in the state territory, was funded by the Program, as well as the removal of machinery from offenders and the acquisition of inputs that support state action in tackling illegal deforestation and fires.
Access the Inpe/Prodes Technical Note HERE.
