FIGHTING DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes deforestation and land tenure in the Amazon biome from 2012 to 2021 to identify priority areas for government action. It emphasizes the need for coordinated efforts between the Brazilian federal and state governments, highlighting that federal public areas and private properties were the primary sites of forest loss. The report recommends specific strategies: the federal government should focus on rural settlements and undesignated public forests, while state governments should prioritize the implementation of the Forest Code on private lands.

• Between 2012 and 2021, forest loss in the Amazon biome occurred primarily in federal public areas and private properties, which accounted for 45% and 28% of the deforested area, respectively, totaling over 55,000 km².
• Deforestation in federal public areas and areas with no land tenure data saw significant acceleration between 2018 and 2021, increasing by 91% and 74% respectively, while deforestation in private areas increased by 58% during the same period.
• Rural settlements were a major driver of forest loss in federal public areas, accounting for 54% of deforestation between 2012 and 2021, with nearly 45% of this loss occurring in Pará.
• Undesignated federal public forests are highly susceptible to illegal occupation and deforestation; approximately 80% of the 101,700 km² area is registered as private properties in the SICAR, and these occupied areas represent 91% of the deforestation in this category from 2012 to 2021.
• Deforestation in private areas is severe, with accumulated forest loss up to 2021 reaching 67% for small properties, 45% for medium properties, and 33% for large properties.
• The report identifies five states—Acre, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia—that together accounted for 95% of the deforested area within the Amazon biome between 2012 and 2021.
• State governments are primarily responsible for the implementation of the Forest Code and environmental licensing in private areas, but they require federal support through tools like the management of SICAR and the implementation of CAR.

APA

GANDOUR, C., & MOURÃO, J. (2023). FIGHTING DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON. Climate Policy Initiative. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/INS-Fighting-Deforestation-in-the-Amazon.pdf

Chicago

GANDOUR, CLARISSA, and JOÃO MOURÃO. FIGHTING DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON. Climate Policy Initiative, 2023. https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/INS-Fighting-Deforestation-in-the-Amazon.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=GANDOUR |first1=CLARISSA |last2=MOURÃO |first2=JOÃO |title=FIGHTING DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON |publisher=Climate Policy Initiative |date=May 2023 |url=https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/INS-Fighting-Deforestation-in-the-Amazon.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{gandour2023fighting, author = {GANDOUR, CLARISSA and MOURÃO, JOÃO}, title = {{FIGHTING DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON}}, institution = {Climate Policy Initiative}, year = {2023}, month = may, url = {https://www.climatepolicyinitiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/INS-Fighting-Deforestation-in-the-Amazon.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }