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This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the impact of Brazil's rural credit system on agricultural production and land use between 2002 and 2017. The analysis finds that while rural credit generally boosts production, its environmental impacts vary significantly by producer size: credit for small farmers tends to increase productivity and reduce deforestation pressures, whereas credit for large farmers is associated with the expansion of cropland and pastures, leading to higher deforestation.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) filed a Form 990 for the tax year beginning October 1, 2020, and ending September 30, 2021. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity focused on global environmental challenges, including climate, food, forests, water, ocean, cities, and energy. For the reported period, WRI recorded total revenue of $289,669,226 and total expenses of $151,998,641, ending the year with net assets of $402,845,763.

This technical annex assesses Goal 6 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which sought the inclusion of ambitious, quantitative forest conservation and restoration targets for 2030 within the post-2015 global development framework. The document concludes that Goal 6 was achieved through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015, though it identifies significant weaknesses in how these goals are measured and reported.

This article analyzes a decision by the Brazilian Supreme Federal Court (STF) regarding the 2012 Forest Code (Law No. 12,651/2012), specifically focusing on how contradictory rulings regarding the Environmental Reserve Quote (CRA) create legal uncertainty and potentially weaken this market-based mechanism for environmental regularization.

The report finds that while the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) include an ambitious target to 'halt deforestation', the finalized indicators fail to measure gross forest loss or specific restoration efforts. By focusing on net deforestation, the framework weakens the practical application of conservation targets and lacks quantifiable metrics for reforestation and afforestation.

The 2018 Progress Assessment Goal 6 Update reports that Goal 6—the inclusion of ambitious, quantitative forest conservation and restoration targets for 2030 in the post-2015 global development framework—has been achieved through the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015.

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 technical note by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the NAPC/PUC-Rio argues that estimates of land 'amnesty' granted by the new Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12,651/2012) may be lower than previously reported by Imaflora, as some rules were already present in the previous legislation.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and PUC-Rio analyzes the Environmental Reserve Quote (Cota de Reserva Ambiental - CRA) as a mechanism for compensating Legal Reserve deficits in rural properties under Brazil's Forest Code (Law 12.651/2012). The document evaluates the CRA against other compensation alternatives, identifies institutional and legal barriers to its implementation, and provides recommendations for federal regulation to ensure market security and lower transaction costs.

The Reporting for Results-based REDD+ (RRR+) project is a three-year initiative (2017-2019) led by the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). It aims to build the capacity of 21 tropical and subtropical forest countries to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions and carbon stocks in agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) to the UNFCCC, thereby enabling them to access results-based REDD+ finance.

This report describes the 'Watershared' model of reciprocal watershed agreements, a grassroots approach to incentive-based conservation used in Latin America. Unlike national Payment for Environmental Services (PES) schemes, Watershared relies on local negotiations, social norms, and non-economic incentives to encourage upstream landowners to protect forests that ensure water security for downstream users.

This case study describes 'Watershared' (reciprocal watershed agreements), a grassroots, incentive-based conservation model used in Latin America to promote sustainable forest and water management through local negotiations and economic incentives.

This technical annex assesses the progress of Goal 6 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which sought the inclusion of ambitious, quantitative 2030 forest conservation and restoration targets within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report evaluates the SDGs adopted in September 2015, specifically Target 15.2, finding that while the goal to halt deforestation is highly ambitious and quantifiable, the targets for forest restoration and reforestation lack quantitative metrics.

The Ogiek Bio-Cultural Community Protocol (BCP), published by Natural Justice in 2015, is a community-determined document outlining the rights, traditional knowledge, and resource management priorities of the Ogiek people, an indigenous hunter-gatherer group in Kenya. The protocol serves as a tool to safeguard their ancestral lands in the Mau Forest Complex and Mount Elgon, establishing terms for access to their traditional knowledge and the equitable sharing of benefits arising from their resources.

This research paper examines 'readiness finance' for REDD+ through the lens of the Brazilian Amazon Fund and the Congo Basin Forest Fund (CBFF). It finds that readiness has evolved from a technical focus to one encompassing governance and policy. The authors argue that readiness is not a static phase with a clear end point but requires sustained investment in institutional strengthening that continues into the performance-based phase of REDD+.

This guide, published by Friends of the Earth International, warns forest communities about the risks associated with REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and other forest conservation projects. It argues that these market-based mechanisms often lead to 'deterritorialization,' loss of cultural identity, and the erosion of community sovereignty through restrictive, long-term contracts.

This prevention manual by Friends of the Earth International warns forest communities against signing REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and other forest conservation contracts. The guide argues that these market-based mechanisms often lead to 'deterritorialization,' loss of cultural identity, and the surrender of sovereignty to external corporations through deceptive contracts that restrict traditional land use for decades.

This precautionary guide by Friends of the Earth International warns forest communities against signing REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and other forest conservation contracts. It argues that these market-based schemes often lead to deterritorialization, loss of sovereignty, and the erosion of traditional cultures by imposing restrictive conditions on land use and granting disproportionate power to external companies.

This case study examines how Fiji utilizes REDD+ financing to achieve climate change mitigation alongside adaptation co-benefits, including disaster risk reduction and biodiversity conservation, serving as a model for other small island developing states.