Brazil halted monitoring and tracking deforestation of tropical rainforest despite the increase in destruction

Due to a lack of funding, Brazil will stop monitoring deforestation in the world's most species-rich rainforest, the Cerrado.

Bordering the Amazon rainforest and straddling several Brazilian states, the carbon it absorbs has become a major barrier against climate change.

Data from Brazil's National Space Research Institute on Friday showed that deforestation in The Cerrado has increased by 8 percent over the past year to 8,531 square kilometers.

Claudio Almeida, a scientist who coordinates satellite monitoring, said the decision to stop monitoring the Celado was due to budget cuts.

Almeida said in an article that annual data on deforestation in Serrado will no longer be available unless new sources of funding can be found.