Amazon Rainfall Plummets to Historic Lows, Linked to escalating Deforestation
MANAUS, BRAZIL – Rainfall in the Amazon rainforest has reached record low levels, triggering a cascade of ecological and economic consequences, scientists warn. The dramatic decline is increasingly linked to widespread deforestation, which disrupts the region’s crucial hydrological cycle and threatens the future of the world’s largest rainforest.
The Amazon generates its own rainfall thru a process called evapotranspiration – where trees release water vapor into the atmosphere. As vast areas of forest are cleared for agriculture,logging,and mining,this natural process is diminished,leading to reduced precipitation and prolonged droughts. This cycle of deforestation and drying is accelerating,with devastating effects on biodiversity,river systems,and local communities.
In 2024, over 40 million acres of the Amazon rainforest burned, and the first six months of 2025 saw deforestation rates spike 27 percent higher than the same period in 2024, according to data from the Rainforest Foundation and Mongabay. While new protected areas are being established globally as part of initiatives like “30 by 30” – a commitment to protect 30 percent of the planet by 2030 – the pace of forest loss continues to outstrip conservation efforts.
Protected areas remain a vital tool for preserving forests and mitigating climate change. Conservation International recently supported the creation of three new protected areas in the Amazon, safeguarding threatened forest and preventing notable carbon emissions. However, experts emphasize that halting deforestation is paramount to restoring the Amazon’s rainfall patterns and ensuring the long-term health of the rainforest.
