Key Issues for Property Rights in Brazil: Implications for the Forest Code

This research paper examines the relationship between property rights and the implementation of Brazil's 2012 Forest Code, analyzing how land ownership structures and administrative institutions influence landowner behavior and environmental outcomes.

• The 2012 revision of Brazil's Forest Code requires private landowners to maintain native vegetation on a specific percentage of their land: 20% for most properties and 80% for those located in the Amazon.
• The Forest Code is described as one of the world's most draconian land laws because it forces owners to absorb the costs of foregone production and reduced rental income without receiving compensation.
• While previous government efforts to enforce the Forest Code failed due to a lack of administrative capability and political consensus, the 2012 revision suggests a more realistic implementation effort is underway, representing a massive policy experiment in property rights due to the country's scale.

APA

Climate Policy Initiative (2016). Key Issues for Property Rights in Brazil: Implications for the Forest Code. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/key-issues-for-property-rights-in-brazil-implications-for-the-forest-code/

Chicago

Climate Policy Initiative. Key Issues for Property Rights in Brazil: Implications for the Forest Code. 2016. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/key-issues-for-property-rights-in-brazil-implications-for-the-forest-code/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate Policy Initiative |title=Key Issues for Property Rights in Brazil: Implications for the Forest Code |date=31 May 2016 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/key-issues-for-property-rights-in-brazil-implications-for-the-forest-code/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climatepolicyinitiative2016key, author = {{Climate Policy Initiative}}, title = {{Key Issues for Property Rights in Brazil: Implications for the Forest Code}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2016}, month = may, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/publication/key-issues-for-property-rights-in-brazil-implications-for-the-forest-code/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }