Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon indigenous lands jumps 129% in 2013-2021

Illegal deforestation on indigenous lands in the Brazilian Amazon jumped 129 per cent between 2013 and 2021, a study released by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation revealed.

This generated 96 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, with 59 per cent occurring between 2019 and 2021, the study published in the journal "Scientific Reports" detailed.

The study analysed 232 indigenous territories and found deforestation in the territories reached 1,708 square km, equivalent to 2.38 per cent of the Brazilian Amazon, reports Xinhua news agency.

"Deforestation also creates other problems inside these areas, such as the spread of diseases and threats to the survival of isolated indigenous peoples," said Celso Silva, professor in biodiversity and conservation at the Federal University of Maranhao.

Guilherme Mataveli, one of the co-authors of the study, said that indigenous lands are "essential" for Brazil to meet such environmental goals as reducing the impacts of climate change, since the South American country holds 60 per cent of the Amazon rainforest.