Search Climate Insights Directory

This executive summary provides a comparative legal analysis of forest protection and land use legislation across seven major agricultural exporting countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, and the United States. The study specifically examines riparian buffer zones and biodiversity conservation policies on private lands to contextualize the stringency of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012).

This report provides a comparative legal analysis of forest protection and land use policies on private lands across seven major agricultural exporting countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, and the United States. The study specifically examines riparian buffer zones and biodiversity conservation policies to determine how the Brazilian Forest Code compares to international standards.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) compares forest and land-use legislation across seven major agro-exporting countries: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, and the United States. The study specifically analyzes riparian Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and biodiversity conservation policies to determine how the Brazilian Forest Code compares to international legal requirements. The findings indicate that Brazil maintains some of the most rigorous rules for private land protection, particularly regarding mandatory native vegetation reserves and riparian buffers, although the report emphasizes that effective implementation, monitoring, and enforcement are necessary for Brazil to achieve its environmental goals.