Bolsonaro’s Words May Have Destroyed Up to 1,700 Square Kilometers of Amazon Rainforest

An international study led by the University of Bonn has found that former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s statements against forest conservation likely drove the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. The researchers estimate that Bolsonaro’s posts on Twitter contributed to the loss of up to 1,700 square kilometers of forest, an area almost double the size of Berlin.

The study, published in The Journal of Politics, looked at the timing of deforestation alongside Bolsonaro’s tweets and those of his ministers. It found that destruction of the Amazon accelerated when Bolsonaro and his team posted messages opposing conservation. The researchers also noted that Brazil’s environmental authorities were greatly weakened during Bolsonaro’s presidency, and that even a perceived low risk of punishment appeared to drive deforestation.

Bolsonaro’s Words and the Forest

The study does not rely solely on policy changes. It looks at the timing of deforestation alongside Bolsonaro’s tweets and those of his ministers, finding that destruction spiked when Bolsonaro and his ministers posted messages opposing conservation. The researchers estimate that the statements contributed to the destruction of up to 1,700 square kilometers of forest.

That figure is almost double the area of Berlin. It is a measure of what Bolsonaro’s words did, not just what his policies allowed.

How the Study Was Conducted

The researchers examined the timing of deforestation alongside Bolsonaro’s tweets and those of his ministers. They found that destruction of the Amazon accelerated when Bolsonaro and his team posted messages opposing conservation. The study also found that Brazil’s environmental authorities were greatly weakened during Bolsonaro’s presidency, and that even a perceived low risk of punishment appeared to drive deforestation.

The researchers estimate that Bolsonaro’s statements contributed to the destruction of up to 1,700 square kilometers of forest. They tied that weakening to the timing of forest loss. The study’s methodology compared periods of increased deforestation with the timing of Bolsonaro’s and his ministers’ tweets, looking for patterns in which destruction accelerated after the posts opposing conservation.

Key Facts From the Study

• The study was led by the University of Bonn and published in The Journal of Politics
• Destruction of the Amazon accelerated when Bolsonaro and his ministers posted messages opposing conservation
• The researchers estimate that the statements contributed to the destruction of up to 1,700 square kilometers of forest
• That figure is almost double the area of Berlin

The Journal of Politics

The results were published in The Journal of Politics. The study was led by the University of Bonn.

The research is a reminder that leaders shape reality through what they say as much as through what they do. Bolsonaro’s words created a climate of impunity, and the forest paid the price.

Source material: “How Bolsonaro's statements destroyed the rainforest,” Phys.org.

Amazon · Bolsonaro · Brazil · deforestation · environment