Amazon deforestation in April was the worst in modern records

Adam Vaughan is a writer.

The Amazon rainforest in Brazil has suffered its worst-ever April depredation rate since satellite records began in 1996, months ahead of a general election where environmental protections are expected to be a key dividing line.

The area was almost doubled in size last month, from 579 square kilometres in April to 1012 square kilometres. Tasso Azevedo, the former head of Brazil's forest service, said the losses were bleak.

The president of Brazil has argued that Brazil has a right to exploit the forest, a biodiversity hotspot and a crucial sink for carbon emissions. The tropics lost about 40 per cent of their forest cover in Brazil.

The continued highs in deforestation are a direct result of the sabotage of environmental law enforcement in Brazil by the President.