Only months after declaring the successful reduction of deforestation of the Amazon, the Brazilian government recently announced a rise in the rate of the clearing of the rainforest, stating that in the last 5 months 1250 square miles of rainforest were lost.

INPE, an organization providing satellite imaging of the area, says that the new increased rate is unprecedented for this time of year. Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva has reiterated these concerns, and has even suggested that the preliminary assessment could double as more detailed images are analyzed.

Rising costs of raw materials and commodities have contributed to the clearing of more rainforest, particularly for soy crops, as an increasing number of farmers see the Amazon as a cheap source of land. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is due to attend an emergency meeting today to discuss new measures to mitigate Amazonian deforestation.

and check out these 7 steps you can take to help save the Amazon, provided by the Rainforest Action Network.