Why are gov figures vs satellite data on Amazon deforestation different?

[IsabellaIR]

I just saw the news about the new satellite imagery showing the extent of the deforestation in the Amazon this quarter. It’s a lot more widespread than the last report suggested, and I’m honestly struggling to understand how the official government figures could be so different from what these independent observers are documenting.

[Edward.L]

I saw the new images and it looks like forest loss spread farther this quarter than the last report suggested.

[Harper91]

I pulled up a satellite image dashboard and then texted a local NGO. They said cloud cover and differences in the data streams can make a big difference; they usually use 2–3 datasets and still sometimes find gaps. They mentioned a few areas that look clear on some passes but are hidden on others.

[Stella83]

But are we even measuring the same thing, or are the thresholds and classifications different between sources?

[Tyler30]

I keep thinking about it during coffee, wondering if the problem is bigger than reporting—like ground truthing or enforcement. I did a quick compare once and the lines didn’t match, so I shelved it.