INPE'S BiomasBR PROGRAM - MONITORING DEFORESTATION, DEGRADATION AND USE AND COVERAGE BY REMOTE SENSING

This article presents the methods of the BiomasBR Program and the main recent results of its Prodes, Deter, and TerraClass systems. Prodes maps native vegetation suppression for all Brazilian biomes. Deter issues alerts for vegetation suppression and degradation in the Amazon and Cerrado, and has been expanded to include the Pantanal and non-forest areas in the Amazon. TerraClass monitors the trajectories of use and cover that follow the conversion of native vegetation. Prodes data confirmed the trend of reduction in suppression indicated by Deter alerts and the decrease in degradation between 2022 and 2023. TerraClass data show that in both the Amazon and Cerrado, native vegetation has been converted primarily to pasture areas, with an increasing trend from 2018 to 2022. BiomasBr data from remote sensing have been fundamental for strategies and policies in facing climate emergencies and for the evolution of scientific knowledge.