Twelve percent of the freshwater on Earth is found in Brazil, primarily in the Amazon. However, a report released on Friday claimed that deforestation for farming is causing the loss of natural surface water. According to MapBiomas, Brazil lost 400,000 hectares of water surface in 2023. Due to urbanization, drought, and excessive use of subsurface water, the nation has lost almost 2.4 million hectares of rivers and lakes since 1985.
Juliano Schirmbeck from MapBiomas Agua said extreme weather and land use changes are making Brazil drier. He warned that Brazil needs better water management policies. The Amazon, which helps control the Earth’s climate, lost 4.5 million hectares of surface water in 2023.