On Thursday, Brazil launched its first raids against illegal deforestation in the Amazon rainforest under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Former President Jair Bolsonaro gutted funding for the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) during his four years in office.
Bolsonaro later assigned the military and the Justice Ministry authority over deforestation operations, sidelining IBAMA despite the agency’s extensive experience and success.
Under Bolsonaro, an area larger than Denmark was deforested, a 60% increase from previous four years.
