FIGHTING DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON

The report identifies that deforestation in the Amazon biome is heavily concentrated in federal public areas and private properties, with a significant acceleration in both since 2019. It argues that the federal government should prioritize rural settlements and the regularization of undesignated public forests, while state governments should focus on implementing the Forest Code on private lands. The analysis emphasizes that coordination between these two levels of government is essential for territorial ordering and effective environmental enforcement.

• Between 2012 and 2021, federal public areas and private properties were the primary sites of forest loss, accounting for 45% and 28% of the deforested area, respectively, totaling over 55,000 km².
• Deforestation rates accelerated significantly between 2018 and 2021, particularly in federal public areas (91% increase) and areas with no land tenure data (74% increase), compared to a 58% increase in private areas.
• Rural settlements are a major driver of forest loss within federal public lands, representing 54% of deforestation in that category between 2012 and 2021, with nearly 45% of that loss occurring in Pará.
• Undesignated public forests are highly susceptible to illegal occupation; in federal areas, 91% of deforestation in this category occurs in areas registered as private properties in the SICAR, which cover nearly 80% of the 101,700 km² of such forest.
• Private land deforestation is severe across different property sizes, with 67% of small properties, 45% of medium properties, and 33% of large properties already deforested by 2021.
• Five states—Acre, Amazonas, Mato Grosso, Pará, and Rondônia—accounted for 95% of the total deforested area within the Amazon biome between 2012 and 2021.
• The report recommends a coordinated governance approach: the federal government should focus on rural settlements and land regularization, while state governments should prioritize the implementation of the Forest Code on private lands.

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} }