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This executive summary analyzes the impact of Decree No. 9,760/2019 on the administrative enforcement procedures of IBAMA, Brazil's federal environmental agency. It argues that changes to the sanctioning process, combined with a shift toward military-led operations and the dismissal of technical staff, have weakened the state's ability to combat illegal deforestation and fires in the Amazon.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the socio-environmental components of Technical, Economic, and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Studies (EIA) for federal land infrastructure concessions in the Brazilian Legal Amazon. The analysis reveals significant gaps in the inclusion of biotic components, a lack of correlation between EVTEA and EIA, and inconsistent adherence to sectoral manuals and Terms of Reference (TRs).

This policy brief by Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the viability phase of 14 large-scale federal land transport infrastructure projects in the Legal Amazon. The analysis identifies significant procedural gaps, a lack of logical sequencing between environmental studies, and a systemic lack of transparency regarding project documentation, which increases environmental risks and investor uncertainty.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon, identifying six specific patterns that distinguish it from the rest of Brazil. The analysis highlights limited credit access, a heavy reliance on public banks, and a predominance of livestock financing, which the authors link to extensive land use and deforestation.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the potential for increasing cattle productivity in the Legal Amazon. It finds that current livestock production is homogeneously low-productivity and extensive, meaning that simply disseminating existing local best practices would only yield modest gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and a crackdown on land grabbing and illegal deforestation.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2007 and 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. The study finds that degradation is more widespread than clear-cutting deforestation and often serves as a precursor to it, though this relationship varies significantly by land tenure category. The authors argue that forest degradation is currently under-prioritized in public policy and should be used as an indicator for imminent environmental damage to better allocate conservation resources.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2007 to 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. The study finds that degradation is a large-scale phenomenon that often precedes or occurs near clear-cut deforestation, with the relationship varying significantly based on land tenure categories. The authors argue that degradation should be a priority for conservation policy as a leading indicator of imminent environmental damage.

This technical note by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes Bill (PL) No. 2633/2020, which proposes changes to the legal framework for land regularization of federal public lands in Brazil. The authors argue that the proposed environmental safeguards are insufficient and ineffective, potentially rewarding illegal deforestation by granting titles without requiring the regularization of environmental liabilities.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the public contracting processes for socio-environmental studies—specifically Technical, Economic, and Environmental Feasibility Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)—for federal land transportation projects in the Brazilian Amazon. The researchers identify significant gaps in transparency, budget allocation, and the timing of socio-environmental analyses within the project life cycle, providing recommendations to improve the robustness of infrastructure projects and their mitigation measures.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the public procurement processes for socio-environmental studies—specifically Technical, Economic, and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Studies (EIA)—for land transport infrastructure projects in the Brazilian Amazon. The analysis identifies significant gaps in transparency, a lack of clear selection and evaluation criteria in bidding documents, and an imbalance in budget allocation that favors diagnostic data over impact assessment and mitigation. The authors recommend increasing transparency in bidding, specifying budget allocation for socio-environmental components, and introducing a 'pre-feasibility' phase to filter projects before they reach the environmental licensing stage.

This executive summary from the Global Climate and Health Alliance examines the health impacts of wildfire smoke, highlighting events in the Amazon, Australia, and Canada. It details how smoke pollutants affect vulnerable populations and calls for immediate forest protection, improved health risk adaptation, and global climate action to limit warming to 1.5°C.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative and Inter.B analyzes infrastructure planning in Brazil, specifically within the land transport sector. It argues that current processes fail to integrate socio-environmental factors and recommends the introduction of a 'pre-viability' phase to improve project selection and prioritization, alongside a planning strategy that prioritizes sustainable development and the protection of the Amazon.

This whitepaper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) argues that current environmental assessments for transportation infrastructure in the Amazon fail to account for indirect effects, leading to an underestimation of ecological footprints. The authors propose a 'market access' approach using geoprocessing and statistical analysis to better quantify how reduced transport costs drive deforestation and agricultural expansion far beyond the immediate project site.

This whitepaper by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) argues that current environmental and technical feasibility studies for transport infrastructure in the Amazon fail to account for indirect effects, specifically how reduced transport costs induce deforestation far from the project site. The authors propose a 'market access' approach using geoprocessing and statistical analysis to better quantify these risks and recommend that these methodologies be integrated into official project evaluations to avoid underestimating environmental costs.

This white paper argues that Brazil lacks an official system to monitor secondary vegetation (regeneration) in the Amazon, leaving these areas vulnerable. While the technology for remote monitoring is available and feasible, the authors state that public policy support and financial commitment are required to implement a system that would enable the country to track reforestation goals and enforce environmental laws.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) evaluates the effectiveness of protected areas—including conservation units and indigenous lands—in reducing deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. While the analysis finds that these areas effectively shield the forests within their boundaries, they have a negligible impact on aggregate deforestation levels because they tend to displace deforestation to unprotected regions.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) evaluates the effectiveness of landscape protection—specifically protected areas and indigenous lands—in reducing deforestation within the Brazilian Amazon. While the analysis finds that these territories are effective at shielding the specific forests they cover, they have a negligible impact on aggregate deforestation levels because they tend to deflect forest clearing to unprotected regions.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes how Brazilian public policies aimed at combating primary deforestation in the Amazon unintentionally fostered tropical regeneration between 2004 and 2014. The document argues that environmental monitoring and enforcement acted as a deterrent, leading illegal actors to abandon regions and allowing natural forest recovery to occur.

This fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes Provisional Measure (MP) 910 of 2019, which proposes changes to the land regularization of federal public lands in Brazil, specifically affecting the Amazon region. The authors argue that the measure risks rewarding illegal land grabbing and deforestation by easing the requirements for obtaining land titles.

This fact sheet analyzes Provisional Measure 910 (MP 910), a proposed amendment to Brazilian legislation regarding the regularization of informal settlements on federal lands. The authors argue that the measure rewards illegal land occupation and deforestation, particularly in the Amazon, by loosening the requirements for obtaining property titles.