The Brazilian rain forest was losing more than 20,000 square kilometers (8,000 square miles) per year, an area nearly the size of New Jersey. In 2004, following several years of rapid deforestation, public pressure turned the tide. The Brazilian government created a large network of national and state parks, established protected territories for indigenous groups, empowered environmental enforcement agencies, and strengthened satellite monitoring systems. Within a few years, large-scale deforestation dropped by roughly 50 percent. The turnaround was heralded as one of the world’s most dramatic environmental success stories. Sadly 2019 has been different, as you can see in this image.