[1/2] An aerial view shows a boundary demarcation area at the Arara indigenous reserve during an operation to combat deforestation near Uruara, Para State, Brazil January 21, 2023.
SAO PAULO, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest fell in January from a year earlier, satellite data showed on Friday, in the first monthly figures under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Preliminary satellite data collected by the government's space research agency Inpe showed 167 square km (64 square miles) cleared in the region last month, down 61% from January 2022, the worst for the month in the eight-year series.
In mid-January, Brazilian environmental agents launched their first anti-logging raids under Lula, who has pledged to end surging destruction under his predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.
Deforestation in January was also below the historical average of 196 square km for the month since 2016, although January data can be especially noisy given heavy clouds over the rainforest early in the year.
"It is positive to see such a relevant drop in January," WWF-Brasil conservation specialist Daniel Silva said.
"However, it is still too early to talk about a trend reversal, as part of this drop may be related to greater cloud cover.". »
