Search Climate Insights Directory

This research paper examines the trade-offs between avian habitat conservation and agricultural productivity in the Argentine Dry Chaco, analyzing how different land-use intensities and landholder preferences influence ecosystem services.

This policy brief evaluates the impact of rural credit provided by the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES) for the purchase of farming machinery and equipment between 2005 and 2019. The study finds that such credit increases agricultural productivity and stimulates production without increasing deforestation, often by replacing pasture areas with more productive cropland. The effects are most pronounced in municipalities with high labor intensity and when credit is used for labor-saving equipment.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) examines the interdependencies between water, energy, and food security in Rwanda's Akagera Basin. Using a 'nexus toolkit' comprising policy coherence analysis and quantitative scenario modelling (WEAP and LEAP), the study evaluates how national development goals—such as agricultural intensification and energy transition—interact and compete for limited natural resources. The research highlights criticalS significant trade-offs, particularly regarding water availability for irrigation versus hydropower and the persistent risk of deforestation despite efforts to transition to cleaner cooking fuels.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the adoption dynamics of three agricultural technologies in Brazil between 2006 and 2017: no-till farming (Plantio Direto), tractors, and fertilizers. Using data from the 2017 Agricultural Census, the study identifies three distinct spatial patterns of adoption, suggesting that the drivers and environmental consequences of agricultural intensification vary by technology.

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 discussion brief describes a collaborative project led by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) applying a water-energy-food nexus toolkit to the Lake Tana and Beles River basins in the Upper Blue Nile region of Ethiopia. The project uses integrated modelling to help policy-makers manage trade-offs between national development goals—such as increasing hydropower production fivefold by 2015 and boosting agricultural production by over 8%—and the sustainable management of natural resources.

This report analyzes the relationship between international trade liberalization and sustainable development in Argentina during the 1990s. It examines how economic reforms, including the Convertibility Plan and the creation of Mercosur, influenced the country's export patterns and their subsequent environmental impacts, focusing specifically on the manufacturing sector and the intensification of agricultural production in the Pampas region.

This policy brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute and UNEP argues that traditional measures of 'water productivity' are too narrow because they often focus solely on agricultural output (e.g., 'crop per drop') while ignoring the essential role of landscape ecosystem services. The document advocates for an integrated water resource management (IWRM) approach that balances agricultural needs with the maintenance of natural water storage and ecosystem functions to ensure long-term sustainability and human well-being.