Brazilian Government Says Amazon Deforestation at Record Low

The rate of deforestation is the lowest on record since the Brazilian government began tracking 24 years ago, according to the BBC.

The deforestation rate fell 27 percent from July 2011 to July 2012 versus the previous 12 months. Even with the deforestation rate falling, about 1,780 square miles of the Amazon have been lost in a year. The government's goal is to reduce deforestation to an annual loss of about 1,518 square miles by 2020.

Driving deforestation in Brazil are illegal logging, mining, fires, and increases in agriculture and stockbreeding.