From: CCTV
Brazil's Environment Ministry says the annual destruction rate of the Amazon rainforest is at its lowest level in more than twenty years. Peter Koveos has the details.
The annual rate of destruction of Brazil's Amazon rainforest has fallen 46 percent to its lowest level in more than two decades. This is partly due to increased police patrol.
Brazil's Environment Minister says deforestation rates dropped significantly, but were still very high.
Carlos Ming, Brazil's Environment Minister, said, "This year, there was a 46 percent reduction in deforestation in relation to the previous year. According to Amazon, there was a 65 percent fall. This is still unsatisfactory, deforestation rates are still very high, but this year we will have the smallest deforestation rate of the past 21 years."
The minister attributed 90 percent of the deforestation reduction to improved policing.
Experts give authorities credit for the trend, but they say lower commodity prices resulting from a global economic crisis was also a factor.
Brazil has been under pressure to slow the encroachment of loggers and ranchers which is being blamed for much of the destruction of the world's largest rainforest.