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This executive summary describes a research project investigating how coffee farmers in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Costa Rica respond to extreme weather, pests, diseases, and price volatility since 1997. The study evaluates coping strategies and the effectiveness of government and non-government programs to develop tools for vulnerable growers facing global change.

This executive summary describes a comparative study of ecotones (transition zones between forested and non-forested sites) across one site in Canada and four in South America. The research examines how climate change, land use, and anthropogenic pressures influence the movement and definition of ecosystem boundaries.

This research paper examines how coffee producers in Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Costa Rica respond to extreme weather events, pests, diseases, and price volatility since 1997. It identifies the drivers of vulnerability and evaluates the effectiveness of individual and group adaptation strategies to mitigate the impacts of global change.

This research paper describes the development and validation of the Local Knowledge Scenarios (LKS) methodology, which integrates field work and Agent-Based Models to assess how rural producers in the Americas perceive global change and how this knowledge influences future land-use scenarios and decision-making.

This executive summary describes the development and validation of the Local Knowledge Scenarios (LKS) method, an interdisciplinary approach designed to evaluate how rural producers in the Americas perceive global environmental change and incorporate that knowledge into future land-use decision-making.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative evaluates the effectiveness of Brazil's ABC Recuperação credit line in recovering degraded pastures, focusing on the Cerrado biome. Using satellite imagery and econometric analysis of operations between 2016 and 2018, the study finds that the credit's impact on pasture recovery is modest, with severe degradation remaining largely unchanged and some pasture being converted to crops rather than recovered. The report highlights the critical role of technical assistance and soil type in achieving results and suggests that the program contributed minimally to the ABC Plan's 2020 recovery targets.

An evaluation of Brazil's ABC Recuperação credit line in the Cerrado biome found that the program has had minimal impact on recovering degraded pastures and failed to significantly improve pasture quality. While technical assistance was linked to a 6 percentage point reduction in degraded areas, the overall program contributed only 2.5% toward the 2020 recovery target. The study also found evidence of deforestation occurring prior to credit issuance and recommends strengthening monitoring, improving pre-credit eligibility evaluations, and combining credit with risk management and technical assistance.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the impact of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia. While the EUDR aims to eliminate deforestation from the EU market for six key commodities, the report highlights significant barriers for smallholders—including high compliance costs, lack of technical capacity, and land tenure insecurity—that risk excluding them from global value chains. The authors propose establishing knowledge hubs, financial support mechanisms, and enhanced stakeholder coordination to ensure an inclusive transition.

This report describes an innovative economic modelling approach developed by a consortium of research institutes to assist the Indonesian government in designing sustainable agrifood system policies to address food insecurity, malnutrition, and deforestation.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-RIO) examines the link between subsidized rural credit and deforestation in Brazil between 2020 and 2022. The analysis reveals that a small number of large properties receive a disproportionate share of subsidized funds while being responsible for significant deforestation, suggesting that current economic incentives are misaligned with Brazil's environmental and climate goals.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the regulatory framework of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) aimed at combating deforestation and ecosystem conversion. It details the BCB's transition toward sustainable finance through the 'Agenda BC#', specifically focusing on the integration of social, environmental, and climate risks into the National Financial System (SFN) and the implementation of strict environmental requirements for rural credit.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the regulatory efforts of the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) to combat deforestation and ecosystem conversion. It details the BCB's integration of sustainability into its 'BC# Agenda', the implementation of social, environmental, and climate risk management for financial institutions, and specific restrictions on rural credit for non-compliant producers. The document also provides context on the drivers of land-use change in the Amazon and Cerrado biomes and offers policy recommendations to further align the national financial system with environmental conservation goals.

This research paper develops an econometric climate model to value the ecosystem service of tropical forests in maintaining rainfall patterns necessary for hydropower energy generation, specifically analyzing the impact of Amazon deforestation on the Teles Pires plant in Brazil.

This case study examines Mahembe Coffee, a small and medium-sized enterprise in Rwanda that operates as a coffee cherry producer, green bean processor, and exporter. The document assesses the company's alignment with the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI) using the RAI Tool for Agribusiness. While the company demonstrates high compliance driven by the founder's social ethos, the report highlights risks associated with the lack of formalised policies and an ageing farmer population.

This report by Trend Asia examines the role of large conglomerates, state-owned enterprises, and politically connected corporations in Indonesia's energy transition, specifically focusing on the development of energy plantation forests (HTE) for biomass co-firing in coal-fired power plants (PLTU). The document argues that the transition is being dominated by powerful actors with a history of deforestation and land conflict, potentially leading to a 'carbon debt' and further environmental degradation.

The 'Agri-Food Deforestation and Conversion Free (DCF) Sourcing Criteria', published by the Climate Bonds Initiative on April 12, 2024, provides a framework for certifying agri-food entities that can prove their commodity sourcing is free from deforestation and natural ecosystem conversion. The criteria are designed to align with and expand upon the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), extending requirements to all natural ecosystems and applying them at the entity level globally.

This report by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the role of sustainable debt and climate transition finance in the agri-food sector, specifically focusing on crop and livestock production. It analyzes the current state of the sustainable debt market, the necessity of reaching smallholder farmers, and the development of science-based Sector Criteria to guide investments toward net-zero goals and deforestation-free sourcing.

The Agri-Food Deforestation and Conversion Free (DCF) Sourcing FAQs provide a rule set for certifying agri-food entities that source commodities from land not subject to deforestation or natural ecosystem conversion after 31 December 2020. The guide details eligibility for supply chain actors, traceability requirements based on country risk, and the annual verification process required to maintain certification.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the regulatory and governance challenges of legal deforestation in Brazil, with a specific focus on the Matopiba region. It examines the issuance of Vegetation Suppression Authorizations (ASV) and the effectiveness of the National System for the Control of the Origin of Forest Products (Sinaflor), concluding that current tools are insufficient for monitoring and controlling legal deforestation.

Friends of the Earth International issues a statement criticizing the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement, arguing that it prioritizes corporate interests over human rights, environmental sustainability, and local economies. The organization highlights opposition from both Latin American social movements and European farmers, while calling for a shift in global trade policies during the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference.