Deforestation Slowdown in the Brazilian Amazon: Prices or Policies?

The analysis finds that while agricultural prices influence deforestation, conservation policies implemented in 2004 and 2008 were critical in curbing forest loss. These policies helped avoid an estimated 73,000 km2 of deforestation between 2005 and 2009, preventing the release of approximately 2.7 billion tons of stored CO2.

• Conservation policies introduced at two key turning points in 2004 and 2008 were effective in reducing deforestation in the Amazon, preventing an estimated 73,000 km2 of forest clearings from 2005 through 2009. This avoided loss represents nearly 60% of the area that would have been cleared without these policies and is equivalent to approximately 2.7 billion tons of stored CO2, valued at 13.2 billion US dollars.
• The 2004 policy turning point was marked by the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm), which integrated federal, state, and municipal governments with civil society. Key measures included the use of INPE's Real-Time System for Detection of Deforestation (DETER) for better monitoring and the expansion of protected areas and indigenous lands.
• The 2008 policy turning point focused on targeted enforcement and financial incentives. This included identifying 36 priority municipalities for stricter monitoring, revising legislation on environmental infractions and sanctions, and making rural credit conditional on proof of compliance with environmental laws and land claim legitimacy.
• Agricultural prices have a causal effect on deforestation, though the impact varies by product. Higher crop prices are associated with increased forest clearings in the following year. Cattle prices have a more complex effect: while high prices can lead to future deforestation as producers expand herds, they can also reduce current deforestation pressure if producers sell cattle to realize immediate gains.

APA

Assunção, J., Gandour, C., & Rocha, R. (2015). Deforestation Slowdown in the Brazilian Amazon: Prices or Policies? Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestation-Slowdown-in-the-Brazilian-Amazon-Prices-or-Policies-Executive-Summary.pdf

Chicago

Assunção, Juliano, Clarissa Gandour, and Rudi Rocha. Deforestation Slowdown in the Brazilian Amazon: Prices or Policies? Climate Policy Initiative, 2015. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestation-Slowdown-in-the-Brazilian-Amazon-Prices-or-Policies-Executive-Summary.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Assunção |first1=Juliano |last2=Gandour |first2=Clarissa |last3=Rocha |first3=Rudi |title=Deforestation Slowdown in the Brazilian Amazon: Prices or Policies? |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=March 2015 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestation-Slowdown-in-the-Brazilian-Amazon-Prices-or-Policies-Executive-Summary.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{assuno2015deforestation, author = {Assunção, Juliano and Gandour, Clarissa and Rocha, Rudi}, title = {{Deforestation Slowdown in the Brazilian Amazon: Prices or Policies?}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Deforestation-Slowdown-in-the-Brazilian-Amazon-Prices-or-Policies-Executive-Summary.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }