Amazon deforestation: Forests were destroyed at an all-time high in January

According to government satellite data, the amount of trees cut down in the Brazilian Amazon in January substantially outpaced deforestation in the same month previous year.

The area damaged was five times larger than in 2021, making it the most destructive January since records began in 2015.

Environmentalists charge Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro with hastening deforestation.

The Amazon must be protected if we are to combat climate change.

Trees are cut for their wood as well as to clear land for multinational food firms to sow crops.

Last year, during the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, more than 100 governments pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.

According to environmentalists, the latest satellite data from Brazil's space agency Inpe puts into question the Brazilian government's commitment to safeguarding the country's vast jungle.

"The new data reveals how the government's actions contradict its greenwashing initiatives," says Greenpeace Brazil's Cristiane Mazzetti.

Greenpeace is urging shops in the United Kingdom and abroad to exclude deforestation-related suppliers from their meat and dairy supply chains.

In January, deforestation covered 430 square kilometres (166 square miles), over seven times the size of Manhattan, New York.

Felling large numbers of trees at the start of the year is unusual Because loggers are normally unable to reach dense forest during the rainy season,

Brazil's immense rainforest acts as a carbon sink, absorbing massive amounts of greenhouse gase’s from the atmosphere. However, when more trees are cut down, the forest's ability to absorb emissions decreases.

However, residents in the vicinity claim that they rely on the forest for mining and commercial farming to make a living.

Simultaneously, Amazonian indigenous people battle to protect the jungle and their way of life.

Mr Bolsonaro has weakened environmental regulations in the region, claiming that the government should take advantage of the region to alleviate poverty.

There are several causes that contribute to this amount of deforestation.

Some of these unlawful clearances are being fueled by strong worldwide demand for agricultural commodities such as beef and soya beans. Another factor is the hope that a new law will be implemented in Brazil soon to legitimise and forgive land theft.

The Brazilian government claims that total deforestation was reduced between August of last year and January of this year compared to the same time a year ago.

Environmentalists believe the record January fall is unsurprising, given President Bolsonaro's considerable weakening of legal protections since taking office in 2019.

Mr Bolsonaro was one of the world leaders who vowed to halt and reverse deforestation by the end of this decade at the COP26 climate meeting in Glasgow last year.

Despite the shift in tone, political watchers believe that the policies on the ground remain unchanged.