(CNN) The rate of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has risen to its highest level in 11 years, according to Brazilian government data released Monday. The data, which included the estimated deforestation rates for nine states of the Brazilian Legal Amazon, was generated by the Satellite Legal Amazon Deforestation Monitoring Project (PRODES). That's a 29.5% increase over the previous 12 months and is the highest rate of loss since 2008, INPE said. The increase in deforestation comes while the country is under the leadership of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who was elected in October 2018. Bolsonaro has been criticized for doing little to protect the Amazon rainforest, even rejecting $20 million in foreign aid to help fight fires in the rainforest during the G7 summit in France.

Source: CNN November 19, 2019 05:48 UTC