TED Talks Daily How to see (and stop) deforestation from space | Tasso Azevedo
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Nov 17, 2025 
Tasso Azevedo, a land reformer and leader of the MapBiomas initiative, reveals groundbreaking methods to combat deforestation using satellite imagery and machine learning. He discusses the staggering pace of tree loss in the Amazon and how his team transforms raw data into actionable maps that hold deforesters accountable. Azevedo highlights the significant financial repercussions for illegal activity, including a $1.5 billion financing cut to flagged farms, and shares impressive results like a 54% reduction in deforestation over two years. Tune in to discover how innovative mapping could save our forests.
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Land Use Drives Brazil's Emissions
- Brazil's emissions are dominated by land-use changes, with 75% from how land is used rather than fossil fuels.
- Tropical forest loss both releases stored carbon and removes a major cooling and moisture-regulating system.
A Time Machine From Satellite Pixels
- MapBiomas stitches decades of satellite images into annual land-use maps using machine learning for each 30x30m pixel.
- This creates a time series 'time machine' to see land-history across the entire country back to 1985.
Validate And Cross-Check Deforestation Data
- Validate deforestation detections with high-resolution imagery and cross-reference land registries and protected-area maps.
- Produce precise, legally admissible reports to enable enforcement and accountability.