Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has secured a historic fourth term in office, a result that environmentalists worldwide are calling a crucial victory for the Amazon rainforest. Since Lula returned to power in 2023, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to its lowest level since monitoring began in 1988, dropping 42 percent in the past year alone.
The election, decided by a narrow margin of about 4.4 million votes, saw Lula take 51.8 percent against his far-right challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former President Jair Bolsonaro. Bolsonaro has refused to concede, citing a last-minute Supreme Court ruling that extended voting by two hours, and has vowed to challenge the result in court.
A stark contrast in environmental records
The difference between the two candidates on environmental policy could hardly be starker. During Jair Bolsonaro's presidency from 2019 to 2023, environmental protections were systematically dismantled, and deforestation surged by around 60 percent, with more than 45,000 square kilometres of rainforest cleared. Under Lula, deforestation has fallen 71 percent below its 2022 level.
Greenpeace Brazil called the result "a win for democracy and maintains the commitment to protecting the Amazon and fighting climate change." The sentiment was echoed by environmental advocates globally. Glenn Hurowitz, founder and CEO of Mighty Earth, posted: "Hurrah for the Amazon, the Cerrado, Pantanal and all Brazil's nature! Lula's reelection is a much-needed relief for the rainforest and the country's other extraordinary ecosystems."
Why the Amazon matters far beyond Brazil
Brazil is home to the world's largest tropical rainforest and five other biomes, harbouring around 15 percent of global biodiversity, according to Camila Jardim, International Political Expert at Greenpeace Brazil. "Protecting these ecosystems matters far beyond Brazil's borders and is essential to halting biodiversity loss worldwide," she said.
The rainforest also stores vast amounts of planet-heating carbon dioxide and generates atmospheric moisture that helps regulate weather patterns across South America and beyond. Its preservation is therefore a global concern, not just a Brazilian one.
How deforestation was brought to record lows
The dramatic reduction in deforestation under Lula is largely thanks to the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm), which had been shelved under Bolsonaro. The plan strengthened satellite monitoring of illegal forest clearing and enforcement of sanctions, while also using regulations and financial incentives to promote sustainable practices.
Hurowitz highlighted Lula's launch of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, an innovative mechanism where investors reward countries for conservation. "Lula's election keeps hope alive for nature finance that can make trees worth more alive than dead," he said, adding that the facility needs more capital to reach its full potential.
Jardim stressed that "this progress must be sustained, and efforts to protect and restore ecosystems across Brazil's biomes must intensify, respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities."
A hostile Congress could dampen Lula's power
Despite Lula's victory, his rival's party made significant gains in the National Congress. The Liberal Party will control 121 of 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 28 of 81 seats in the Senate from February 2027, while Lula's Workers' Party federation will hold 88 seats in the lower house. Centre-right parties will hold the balance of power on key legislation.
Greenpeace Brazil warned that "these elections saw a significant surge of the far-right in the National Congress, which includes a large contingent of climate deniers and anti-environmentalists." The organisation added that "over the next four years, public mobilisation will be essential to defend rights and prevent potentially irreversible environmental setbacks."
Hurowitz offered a more optimistic view, noting that "although the government faces a hostile Congress, it can enforce the law and designate new parks and Indigenous reserves – locking in progress."
The election result has been met with celebrations across Brazil, from the streets of São Paulo to riverside communities in the Amazon. As Lula prepares to take office, the world will be watching to see whether he can maintain the momentum on environmental protection while navigating a divided political landscape.
