By Robert Muggah After more than a decade of record-breaking deforestation across the Amazon Basin, rates declined in 2023 compared to the previous year. Measures to curb deforestation were led by Brazil and Colombia, whose newly elected presidents publicly pledged to end deforestation by 2030. While these reductions provided temporary respite, there are signs that anti-deforestation efforts are faltering and the risks of a tipping point and catastrophic collapse persist. Flagship programs and projects to strengthen the rule of law in the Amazon, while generating short-term returns, are spread…
