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This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the adoption of three agricultural intensification technologies in Brazil between 2006 and 2017: the Direct Planting System (DPS), tractors, and fertilizers. Using data from Brazil's 2017 Agricultural Census, the study identifies divergent spatial patterns of adoption, noting that while DPS is becoming more widespread, tractor use is becoming more concentrated in wealthier regions, and fertilizer use is increasing without a clear spatial pattern.

This research paper evaluates whether legal territorial protection in the Brazilian Amazon effectively shields forests from deforestation. Using a spatially explicit panel dataset from 2006 to 2014, the author finds that protected territories successfully reduce forest clearing in high-risk areas compared to unprotected cells under similar pressure. However, the study concludes that this protection does not reduce the overall level of regional deforestation but instead deflects clearing activity to unprotected areas.

This report identifies and delineates Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) for surface water and groundwater across South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland. It defines SWSAs as areas providing disproportionate runoff or high groundwater recharge that are nationally important for water security. The study identifies 22 national surface water SWSAs (SWSA-sw) and 37 national groundwater SWSAs (SWSA-gw), analyzing their contribution to urban centers, agriculture, and industry, while assessing threats from land-cover change, mining, and invasive alien plants.

This research paper investigates the impact of state-assisted Rural Settlements on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2002 and 2014. The authors find that while overall deforestation in the region declined during this period, the area covered by Rural Settlements increased significantly, contributing to approximately 30% of total deforestation in the Amazon Biome by 2014. The study highlights a paradox where 'Special Settlements'—those designed with environmental conditions—were the primary drivers of this impact, particularly in remote areas far from the agricultural expansion frontier.

This CPI working paper proposes a design for natural resource valuation at the district level in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. It argues that current land valuation fails to account for critical ecosystem services like carbon storage and water provision, leading to suboptimal land-use decisions. The paper identifies Kotawaringin Timur as a priority area for a comprehensive valuation study due to its high deforestation rates, significant concentration of palm oil infrastructure, and the presence of extensive High Conservation Value (HCV) areas that are currently under-protected.

This executive summary describes a study on High Conservation Value (HCV) areas in Central Kalimantan province, conducted by the Palangkaraya Institute for Land Use+Agricultural Research (PILAR) and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI). The report identifies critical biological, ecological, social, and cultural values to inform sustainable land-use planning and the province's Strategic Environmental Assessment (KLHS).

This executive summary details the first year of a GreenCape project (2013-2014) aimed at analyzing water consumption and economic productivity in the Western Cape to identify constraints on economic growth. The project shifted from its initial deliverables to develop a conceptual model and a 'framing question' to determine the optimal water sources, quality, and pricing for specific developments, with a particular focus on Saldanha Bay and the Berg Water Management Area.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the effectiveness of deforestation policies in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2011. It argues that while command-and-control measures successfully reduced deforestation among large landowners, they are less effective for smallholders and in remote areas, necessitating a shift toward incentive-based and tailored strategies.

This policy brief describes a study using a global-to-local modelling approach to analyze the interactions between socio-economic development, land use, food security, and climate change in Vietnam for the period 2010-2030. The study employs a Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model combined with a spatial land use model to project outcomes under three scenarios: Business As Usual (BAU), High Climate Impact (HCI), and High Economic Growth (HEG).

This WRI fact sheet provides a regional analysis of coral reefs in Australia, detailing their scale, the low impact of local human threats compared to the severe projected impacts of climate change, and the extent of marine protected areas.

This fact sheet describes research on the spatial distribution of groundwater and surface water use in Mexican agriculture. It argues that managing water resources at the municipality scale, rather than the larger river basin or aquifer scale used by the National Water Commission, is essential for identifying where demand management is required versus where water reallocations can mitigate aquifer over-exploitation.

This fact sheet describes the use of municipal-scale spatial data to manage groundwater and surface water allocation in Mexico, highlighting the risks of aquifer overexploitation and the need for localized demand management.

This fact sheet describes the ADAPTE project, which uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to analyze how the interaction of extreme temperatures and air pollution increases health risks and mortality in large Latin American cities.

This research paper develops and tests indicators of adaptive capacity to climate change for agriculture across 53 Census Divisions in the Canadian Prairie region. Using a framework of six determinants—economic resources, technology, infrastructure, information/skills/management, institutions/networks, and equity—the authors created an aggregated index to identify regions of high and low adaptive capacity. The study finds that adaptive capacity is strongly correlated with proximity to urban centres and highlights a significant data gap regarding surface and groundwater resources. By comparing census-based indices with field interviews, the paper concludes that while statistical indicators provide a useful spatial perspective, site-specific research is essential for designing effective adaptation policies.

The La Pine Community Design Charrette report details a three-day intensive workshop held in April 2000 to develop a spatial vision for La Pine, Oregon. Facilitated by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), the charrette involved local residents and technical experts collaborating to identify optimal locations for community facilities and to establish design principles aimed at reducing urban sprawl and increasing walkability.

This report assesses Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) options in Nepal to address climatic risks and food insecurity. It identifies a pool of 147 potential technologies, prioritizes them based on food security, adaptation, mitigation, and gender and social inclusion (GESI), and uses climate analogue tools to estimate the potential for scaling these interventions across different agro-ecological zones. The report emphasizes that CSA interventions must be location-specific and supported by enabling environments, such as improved credit access and public-private partnerships, to be effective.

This report identifies and maps National Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) across South Africa, Lesotho, and Swaziland, defining them as areas that supply a disproportionate amount of mean annual runoff relative to their land area. The document evaluates the ecological condition, protection levels, and threats to these areas—including land cover modification and mining—while also providing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the proposed Yzermyn Underground Coal Mine in Mpumalanga.

This document is an affidavit by David Carlyle Le Maitre, a principal researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), submitted to the Water Tribunal. It provides expert testimony on the identification and importance of Strategic Water Source Areas (SWSAs) in South Africa, specifically addressing the impact of the proposed Yzermyn underground coal mine on the Enkangala Drakensberg surface water SWSA.

This report, prepared by Jock Currie of the University of Cape Town for WWF South Africa, examines the potential ecological impacts of full-scale marine phosphate mining in the Western Cape, South Africa. It focuses on the risks associated with high-volume dredging technologies, such as Trailing Suction Hopper-Dredges (TSHD), and their effects on benthic, demersal, and pelagic organisms, as well as the overlap between proposed mining areas and critical conservation and fishery zones.

This report by Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-RIO and Amazon 2030 analyzes the potential for carbon sequestration through forest restoration in the Brazilian Amazon. It proposes the Reversing Deforestation Mechanism (RDM), a jurisdictional results-based payment system, as a way to mobilize significant investment and align land use with climate goals. The report compares the RDM with other financial mechanisms like JREDD+ and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), arguing that a complementary approach to conservation, avoided deforestation, and restoration is essential for Brazil to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).