Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and several ministers post online messages opposing forest conservation, and a new international study finds that Amazon deforestation accelerates when that rhetoric spreads. Researchers analyze changes in deforestation patterns alongside Twitter posts during Bolsonaro’s presidency, focusing on whether the messaging correlates with clearing activity.
The study, led by the University of Bonn and published in The Journal of Politics, estimates that the statements may account for forest loss of up to 1,700 square kilometers (660 square miles). The analysis also considers broader conditions during the period, including that Brazil’s environmental authorities were weakened, which researchers say helps explain why even a relatively low perceived risk of punishment could encourage deforestation. Yale Environment 360 similarly reports that the findings connect the rhetoric of Bolsonaro and his ministers to increased areas cleared.
Across outlets, the core point is the reported statistical association between anti-conservation social media messaging and higher deforestation, alongside an account of weakened enforcement during Bolsonaro’s time in office.
