A Queda do Desmatamento na Amazônia Brasileira: Preços ou Políticas?

This executive summary analyzes the drivers of reduced deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2000 and 2010, specifically comparing the impact of agricultural price fluctuations against the implementation of conservation policies in 2004 and 2008. The study concludes that while agricultural prices influence deforestation rates, government policies were responsible for preventing the loss of approximately 62,000 square kilometers of forest between 2005 and 2009.

• Conservation policies implemented in the second half of the 2000-2010 period were responsible for preventing the deforestation of more than half of the forest area that remained standing between 2005 and 2009. This is equivalent to saving 62,000 square kilometers of forest, which represents approximately 620 million tons of stored carbon (or 2.3 billion tons of stored CO2), with an estimated value of 11.5 billion US dollars.
• The 2004 policy turning point was marked by the launch of the Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm). This plan integrated federal, state, and municipal governments with civil society and specialized organizations, utilizing agencies such as the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the Federal Police, the Federal Highway Police (PRF), and the Brazilian Army. Key technical advancements included the Real-Time Deforestation Detection System (DETER) and the creation of the Environmental Monitoring Center (CEMAM) within IBAMA.
• The 2008 policy turning point focused on targeted municipal interventions and financial restrictions. Presidential decree 6.321 (2007) and Ministry of Environment ordinance 28 (2008) allowed for the prioritization of up to 36 municipalities with high deforestation rates for stricter monitoring and licensing. Additionally, presidential decree 6.514 (2008) streamlined administrative processes for environmental infractions, and National Monetary Council resolution 3.545 (2008) required proof of environmental compliance before granting agricultural credit in the Amazon biome.
• Agricultural prices have a causal effect on deforestation in the Legal Amazon, but the effect differs by product. Crop prices have a positive impact, where price increases in one year lead to higher deforestation in that year and the following. Livestock prices have a heterogeneous effect: while price increases can aggravate deforestation in the following year, there is a negative relationship between current livestock prices and current deforestation levels, as producers may either expand pastures for future gain or increase supply to current markets, reducing herd size.
• Counterfactual simulations indicate that without the 2004 and 2008 policies, deforestation would have peaked in 2005 due to high agricultural prices and would have trended upward again in early 2007 as prices recovered toward the end of the decade.

APA

Assunção, J., Gandour, C. C. E., & Rocha, R. (2012). A Queda do Desmatamento na Amazônia Brasileira: Preços ou Políticas? Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestacion-Precios-o-Politicas-Sinopsis-Spanish.pdf

Chicago

Assunção, Juliano, Clarissa C. e Gandour, and Rudi Rocha. A Queda do Desmatamento na Amazônia Brasileira: Preços ou Políticas? Climate Policy Initiative, 2012. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestacion-Precios-o-Politicas-Sinopsis-Spanish.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Assunção |first1=Juliano |last2=Gandour |first2=Clarissa C. e |last3=Rocha |first3=Rudi |title=A Queda do Desmatamento na Amazônia Brasileira: Preços ou Políticas? |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=January 2012 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestacion-Precios-o-Politicas-Sinopsis-Spanish.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{assuno2012queda, author = {Assunção, Juliano and Gandour, Clarissa C. e and Rocha, Rudi}, title = {{A Queda do Desmatamento na Amazônia Brasileira: Preços ou Políticas?}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2012}, month = jan, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestacion-Precios-o-Politicas-Sinopsis-Spanish.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }