A deforested and burnt plot is seen in Jamanxim National Forest in the Amazon, near Novo Progresso, Para state, Brazil September 11, 2019.
A deforested and burnt plot is seen in Jamanxim National Forest in the Amazon, near Novo Progresso, Para state, Brazil September 11, 2019. REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli

With the government's focus shifted to the pandemic and the devastating economic effect that resulted from the lockdown measures, the Amazon rainforest has seen a record number of mass deforestation that's reportedly the highest in eleven years.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon hit a new record from January to April. According to satellite images, the illegal businesses operating within the rainforest have accelerated their destruction of vast patches of the Amazon during the coronavirus lockdowns.

Publicly released data showed over 406 square kilometers of the forest was lost during the month of April alone. The new numbers bring the extent of the destruction to 9,320 kilometers since 2019.

Environmentalists voiced their concern as the amount of deforestation surged since Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro assumed the position at the start of 2019. Under his administration, environmental regulations were rolled back. The government also granted amnesty from fines for illegal deforestation.

A vital part of the budget for environmental law enforcement was also cut. Nonprofit organizations received the blame for allegedly startng the fire. State and local officials who were responsible for protecting forests and the indigenous tribes against illegal invasion were also fired.

In April, an environmental enforcement officer was fired after he conducted a raid on illegal miners inside the Amazon rainforest. The raid received an authorization.

Between January and Decemeber 2019, deforestation and illegal activities dramatically rose to 85 percent in the Brazilian Amazon. The numbers are equivalent to roughly 10,100 square kilometers of the forest-nearly the size of Lebanon.

The loss fueled worldwide alarm as the rainforest is seen as a vital part in curbing climate change.

The destruction in the previous year stemmed from numerous wildfires that burned from May to October. Illegal logging, mining, and farming on protected, indigenous territories largely contributed to the damage.

The Brazilian government blocked 30 percent of the Brazilian environmental agency's budget used to prevent fires. According to a document, roughly $3.3 million were frozen from the agency's fund for fire prevention.

Senior staff at the agency said higher authorities has continuously and deliberately undermined their work. Apart from budget cuts, their staff was also reduced. They claimed the Brazilian government was attempting to demoralize, disempower, and demotivate their staff from their responsibilities-including monitoring conservation areas, preventing environmental crimes through dangerous fieldwork, and conducting scientific work.

The recent reports gave environmentalists much cause to worry as deforestation normally happens in late May when it often rains. The trend, they say, will only continue to increase when the deforestation season begins.

Amazon is the world's largest rainforest. It is home to the planet's largest number of biodiversity. It also houses numerous of uncontacted indigenous tribes in the world. The rainforest helps prevent hurricanes from devastating the east coast of South America.

The Amazon rainforest faces a diverse range of threats. The widespread fragmentation and degradation could have an unpredictable effect on the world's climate. Should the destruction continue, the wet rainforest ecosystem could become something much drier. Large-scale Amazon die-off could be very devastating to the world.

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