Tropical Forests and Climate

Brazil significantly reduced Amazon deforestation from an average of 19,508 km² per year (1996–2005) to 6,451 km² in 2009–2010, a 67 percent drop. This achievement, supported by Norway's financial contributions under the REDD+ framework, resulted in an estimated reduction of nearly 1 billion tons of global warming pollution. Brazil achieved these results through expanded protected areas, reinforced indigenous land rights, and stricter enforcement of logging laws, all while increasing agricultural production of beef and soy and reducing poverty through social programs like Fome Zero and Bolsa Familia.

• Between 2005 and 2010, Brazil reduced its annual deforestation area in the Amazon by 67 percent, dropping from a baseline average of 19,508 square kilometers (km2) per year (1996–2005) to 6,451 km2 in 2009–2010. This reduction is estimated to have lowered global warming pollution by nearly 1 billion tons.
• Brazil's emissions reductions were supported by Norway through the REDD+ international strategy. Norway committed $1 billion to compensate Brazil, with an initial payment of $110 million made in 2009. Unlike corporate offsets, this funding did not allow Norway to increase its own emissions.
• The reduction in deforestation was achieved through a combination of state and federal actions, including the expansion of protected areas and indigenous reserves, which now cover more than half of the Brazilian Amazon. Key measures included reinforcing indigenous land tenure rights and strictly enforcing logging laws through the seizure of illegal timber and the jailing of perpetrators.
• Brazil's environmental progress occurred alongside economic growth and social improvement. The country increased its production and export of beef and soy while lifting over 10 million citizens out of poverty via social programs such as Bolsa Familia and Fome Zero.
• Despite past success, future progress is threatened by a backlash from the "ruralista" bloc in the Brazilian Congress seeking to weaken the Forest Code, as well as rising global prices for beef and soy and plans for new dams and roads in the Amazon.

APA

Boucher, D. (2011). Tropical Forests and Climate. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/Brazil-s-Success-in-Reducing-Deforestation.pdf

Chicago

Boucher, Doug. Tropical Forests and Climate. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2011. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/Brazil-s-Success-in-Reducing-Deforestation.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Boucher |first1=Doug |title=Tropical Forests and Climate |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=February 2011 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/Brazil-s-Success-in-Reducing-Deforestation.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{boucher2011tropical, author = {Boucher, Doug}, title = {{Tropical Forests and Climate}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-09/Brazil-s-Success-in-Reducing-Deforestation.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }