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This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) argues that Brazil can increase agricultural production without increasing deforestation by improving the productivity of already cleared lands, particularly by transitioning underused cattle pastures to crop production.

This policy brief examines the conflict between coal mining and biodiversity conservation in the Yayu Coffee Forest Biosphere Reserve in south-west Ethiopia. It discusses the socio-ecological impacts of extractive industries on wild Coffea arabica and local communities, arguing for a harmonised approach to sustainable resource management.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) submitted a formal statement to the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality challenging a land use application for Portion 1 of the Farm Yzermyn 96 HT. The CER argues that the application for rezoning is legally flawed because no town-planning scheme exists for the area, and that the process has failed to meet statutory requirements for public notice and inspection.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), representing several environmental and community organizations, submitted a formal objection to a rezoning application for Portion 1 of the farm Yzermyn 96 HT. The CER argues that the public notice for the rezoning was legally deficient and that the Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme Local Municipality failed to provide access to the application documents, hindering the clients' ability to submit detailed objections.

This executive summary describes a study by the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas (NAPC/CPI) and the INPUT project regarding the impact of rural settlements on deforestation in the Amazon. The research concludes that rural settlements were responsible for 30% of deforestation in the Amazon region in 2014, with a significant portion attributed to settlements designed for sustainable production.

This research paper investigates the impact of state-assisted Rural Settlements on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon between 2002 and 2014. The authors find that while overall deforestation in the region declined during this period, the area covered by Rural Settlements increased significantly, contributing to approximately 30% of total deforestation in the Amazon Biome by 2014. The study highlights a paradox where 'Special Settlements'—those designed with environmental conditions—were the primary drivers of this impact, particularly in remote areas far from the agricultural expansion frontier.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) reports that rural settlements were responsible for 30% of deforestation in the Amazon region in 2014. The research highlights that 'special settlements,' intended to promote sustainable practices, contributed disproportionately to this figure, accounting for half of the deforestation caused by all rural settlements.

This report provides a 2016 progress update on the first ten goals of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF). It evaluates global trends in natural forest loss, private sector commitments to deforestation-free supply chains, restoration pledges under the Bonn Challenge and UNFCCC, and the evolution of international climate finance and forest governance.

The Central Kalimantan: High Conservation Value Provincial Assessment, produced by the Palangka Raya Institute for Land Use and Agricultural Research (PILAR) and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), identifies biological, ecological, social, and cultural values in Central Kalimantan to inform sustainable land use and regional spatial planning.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative examines barriers to agricultural productivity and natural resource management in Mozambique. It identifies bureaucratic delays in tax and trade administration, limited access to credit for small farmers, and gaps in energy and irrigation infrastructure as primary obstacles. The authors propose low-cost policy modifications, including streamlining government administration, developing public-private partnerships, prioritizing key infrastructure, and increasing revenue-sharing mechanisms for community-led natural resource protection.

This CPI working paper proposes a design for natural resource valuation at the district level in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia. It argues that current land valuation fails to account for critical ecosystem services like carbon storage and water provision, leading to suboptimal land-use decisions. The paper identifies Kotawaringin Timur as a priority area for a comprehensive valuation study due to its high deforestation rates, significant concentration of palm oil infrastructure, and the presence of extensive High Conservation Value (HCV) areas that are currently under-protected.

This executive summary describes a study on High Conservation Value (HCV) areas in Central Kalimantan province, conducted by the Palangkaraya Institute for Land Use+Agricultural Research (PILAR) and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI). The report identifies critical biological, ecological, social, and cultural values to inform sustainable land-use planning and the province's Strategic Environmental Assessment (KLHS).

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the social, economic, and environmental consequences of insecure rural land rights in Brazil. It identifies key drivers of instability, such as the 'social function of property' requirement and institutional complexity, and outlines obstacles to reform, including the lack of an integrated land database and the prevalence of illegal land grabbing (grilagem).

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the insecurity of rural land property rights in Brazil, detailing the social, economic, and environmental costs of this instability and the institutional obstacles preventing its resolution.

This executive summary describes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and PUC-Rio's Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas, under the INPUT project, regarding the economic impacts of agricultural expansion in the MATOPIBA region of Brazil. The research focuses on the growth of grain production, specifically soy and corn, and its effects on local municipalities within the Cerrado biome compared to those outside it.

This briefing describes the economic and environmental impacts of sugarcane mill expansion in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul between 2005 and 2012. Based on a study by INPUT researchers, the document highlights how the industry has reshaped local municipal economies, shifted land use from pasture to sugarcane, and contributed to a reduction in deforestation.

This research paper examines how recent regulatory changes in Brazil's transport infrastructure—specifically highways, railways, and ports—impact agricultural productivity. The authors argue that a general trend toward more complex regulation seeks to limit private profits, which in turn erodes investment incentives and operational efficiency, necessitating costly public subsidies.

This executive summary describes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio on the economic and environmental impacts of sugarcane mill expansion in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The findings indicate that the arrival of these mills significantly restructured local municipal economies, increasing GDP, population, and tax revenues while shifting land use from pasture to sugarcane and reducing deforestation.

This research paper analyzes the drivers and socioeconomic impacts of agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region of Brazil between 1995 and 2012. The author finds that expansion was heavily concentrated in the Cerrado biome, driven by technological innovations in soil management and soy varieties. This shift led to significant increases in GDP per capita and improved access to basic consumer goods and electricity, though it had no significant effect on migration or educational investments.

This fact sheet describes a CDKN study and pilot project conducted with the Municipal Government of Quito and Ecopar Corporation to address climate vulnerabilities in Quito, Ecuador. The initiative focused on restoring ecosystems and promoting sustainable farming to protect low-income communities from landslides, wildfires, and erratic rainfall.