Large-scale illegal logging is ravaging the Amazon rainforest within indigenous territories in Brazil’s state of Pará, with over 78,000 cubic meters of hardwood entering high-end markets in Europe and the United States after being accompanied by forged documentation. This activity not only severely damages rainforest vegetation and wildlife habitats, accelerating the degradation of the Amazon…

Data released by Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) on March 17 showed that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon reached 95.4 square kilometers in February, a 7.3% increase from the same period last year. Although this is the lowest February figure recorded in the past decade, the increase in deforestation remains a cause for…

Peru’s Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Health jointly issued a monitoring report revealing severe basin-wide mercury contamination in the Nana River basin of the Amazon rainforest in Loreto Province. This pollution stems from long-term illegal discharge of mercury-containing wastewater from illegal gold mining operations. Illegal discharges persist, with downstream water mercury levels exceeding safety…

Due to illegal mining and improper approvals, rivers in Ecuador’s Napo basin and other areas have seen severe contamination with heavy metals including copper, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and cyanide. This pollution has endangered the health of over 100,000 residents along the waterways, causing illnesses and miscarriages among pregnant women. Although the government has suspended operations…

On February 2, 2026, a landmark Amazon conservation agreement suffered a major setback as major soybean traders collectively announced their withdrawal from the Soy Moratorium. Since its implementation in 2006, the agreement had effectively curbed deforestation in the Amazon rainforest for soybean cultivation, serving as a model for business-environmental cooperation. The Amazon Environmental Research Institute…

Illegal mining activities are rampant in Venezuela’s Orinoco Mining Arc. The unlawful use of high-pressure pumps to strip away topsoil and toxic mercury to extract gold not only accelerates deforestation in the Amazon rainforest but also causes mercury pollution to seep into water sources and soil. This disrupts the ecological chain of the watershed, threatens…

Illegal mining pollution is intensifying across the Amazon regions of Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil:- In Colombia’s Vaupés region, illegal gold mining operations discharge mercury, contaminating waterways and threatening indigenous health.- In Venezuela, illegal mining gangs violently destroy rainforests and pollute water sources, fueled by collusion with vested interests.- Brazilian law enforcement seizes and destroys illegal…

New research reveals that carbon emissions from latent fire damage in the Amazon rainforest—where trees suffer physiological harm without complete combustion—have now exceeded direct emissions from deforestation. Amazon fires in 2025 released an additional 15 million tons of carbon, equivalent to one month of EU vehicle emissions, while reducing the forest’s carbon sink capacity by…

In December 2025, the Amazonian Institute for People and the Environment’s AI deforestation prevention technology won the United Nations “Champions of the Earth” award, gaining widespread international recognition. This AI predictive model boasts exceptional accuracy, with 73% of deforestation alerts showing deviations of no more than 4 kilometers. Since its implementation in 2021, it has…

Research reveals that plastic pollution has reached rivers, soil, and even species deep within the Amazon rainforest. After analyzing 52 scientific studies, researchers found that plastic waste originating from cities, ships, and local communities flows through rivers, creating transnational pollution. Plastics of macro, meso, micro, and nano sizes are now widely present throughout the ecosystem.…