Scientists say the Amazon has suffered losses at an accelerated rate since Jair Bolsonaro took office. [Source: BBC]

Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has surged to its highest level since 2008, the country’s space agency reports.

A total of that 11,088 sq km of rainforest were destroyed from August 2019 to July 2020.

The Amazon is a vital carbon store that slows down the pace of global warming.

Scientists say the Amazon has suffered losses at an accelerated rate since Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019.

The Brazilian president has encouraged agriculture and mining activities in the world’s largest rainforest.