Cerrado riverbank vegetation down 13.9M ha since 1985; Alto Tocantins worst hit

Satellite data from 1985–2025 shows the Cerrado biome lost 13.9 million hectares of riparian vegetation, with the Alto Tocantins basin suffering the largest decline among six major basins. The loss signals ongoing environmental degradation in Brazil's savanna, with implications for water security and carbon storage. The report is based on official monitoring but does not specify drivers or current rates.