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This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the underdeveloped state of land rental markets in Brazil. It argues that restrictive legislation and land tenure insecurity hinder the efficient use of land, which could otherwise increase agricultural productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by repurposing degraded pastures.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides a set of recommendations to the Land Policy Initiative (LPI) to strengthen the guiding principles for large-scale land-based investments (LSLBI) in Africa, focusing on legal protections, project viability, stakeholder obligations, and dispute resolution.

This research paper demonstrates the utility of an integrated analytical approach—linking climate, land use, energy, and water (CLEWs) systems—by comparing it to separate assessments in a case study focused on Mauritius.

The 'Bioenergy technology roadmap for Colombia' (2014) provides a strategic vision and quantitative analysis for deploying sustainable biofuel and biomass technologies in Colombia through 2030. The report evaluates two primary visions: one focusing on new technologies (biomethane and biomass-based power/CHP) and another combining these with the expansion of first-generation liquid biofuels. Using an Energy System Model (ESM) and a Land Use and Trade Model (LUTM), the report quantifies impacts on energy demand, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and land requirements, concluding that power generation and CHP applications are the most effective for emission reductions.

This briefing describes CLEANED (Comprehensive Livestock and Aquaculture Environmental Assessment for Improved Nutrition, a Secured Environment and Sustainable Development along Value Chains), a rapid, ex-ante framework developed by a consortium including SEI, ILRI, CIAT, and CSIRO. The tool is designed to assess the potential environmental impacts of planned interventions in livestock and aquaculture systems, with a specific focus on smallholder agriculture in developing countries.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute analyzes the effectiveness of deforestation policies in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2011. It argues that while command-and-control measures successfully reduced deforestation among large landowners, they are less effective for smallholders and in remote areas, necessitating a shift toward incentive-based and tailored strategies.

This policy brief by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the effectiveness of deforestation policies in the Brazilian Amazon, noting a significant reduction in deforestation from 2004 to 2012 followed by stagnation and a rise in 2013. The authors argue that while command-and-control measures successfully targeted large landowners, new incentive-based strategies are required to address deforestation by smallholders and in remote areas.

This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative outlines a 'Production and Protection' (P&P) strategy for Brazil to integrate economic growth in the agricultural sector with the preservation of natural resources. It identifies key barriers to productivity—such as deficient infrastructure, limited credit access for family farmers, and underdeveloped land leasing markets—while emphasizing the need to combat deforestation in private lands and non-Amazonian biomes like the Cerrado.

This 2013 report by the Climate Policy Initiative proposes a 'Production and Protection' (P&P) strategy for Brazil to simultaneously grow its rural economy and protect natural resources. The analysis finds that agricultural productivity can be increased without further deforestation by addressing non-geographical barriers such as poor infrastructure, limited access to credit for small farmers, and underdeveloped land rental markets. While Brazil has succeeded in reducing large-scale Amazon deforestation, the report highlights new challenges, including small-scale forest clearing and the need for better protection of the Cerrado biome through incentive-based policies.

This executive summary outlines a 'Production and Protection' (P&P) framework for Brazil, aiming to balance economic growth in agriculture with the conservation of natural resources. The document identifies opportunities to increase agricultural productivity through improvements in finance, technology, land rental markets, cooperatives, and infrastructure, while simultaneously strengthening environmental protections through better monitoring and market-based incentives.

This executive summary analyzes the adoption of the Direct Planting System (DPS), a no-till farming method in Brazil. The study finds that social learning—farmers learning from peers—is a primary driver of adoption, but this process is hindered by soil dissimilarity within municipalities. The authors argue that public policy should focus on disseminating information and providing temporary training in areas with high soil similarity to trigger social learning mechanisms.

This case study examines the establishment and impact of Transfrontier Conservation Areas (TFCAs) in Southern Africa, analyzing how these regional public goods facilitate regional integration through the cooperation of member states, NGOs, and the private sector.

A case study by the World Resources Institute detailing how a civil society campaign and legal action led to the suspension of a state zoning law in Mato Grosso, Brazil, which had opened 50,000 km2 of forest for agricultural conversion.

This research paper introduces the CLEWs (climate, land-use, energy and water strategies) framework, a paradigm for integrated resource assessment designed to address inconsistencies in policy-making and resource exploitation that contribute to climate change.

This executive summary by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) evaluates the impact of command-and-control policies on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, specifically focusing on the role of the Real-Time Deforestation Detection System (DETER). The study finds that DETER-based enforcement was the primary driver of deforestation deceleration in the 2000s, preventing significant forest loss without negatively impacting local agricultural production.

This executive summary describes a study by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) on the impact of the Real Time System for Detection of Deforestation (DETER) and associated law enforcement on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. The analysis concludes that satellite-based monitoring and targeted enforcement by Ibama were the primary drivers of the deforestation slowdown in the 2000s, preventing significant forest loss without negatively impacting agricultural production.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) submitted comments to the U.S. House of Representatives advocating for the maintenance of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) as written. EESI argues that the RFS is critical for reducing petroleum dependence, improving urban air quality by reducing aromatic air toxics, and fostering rural economic development. The document contends that factors other than the RFS—such as extreme weather, global meat demand, and commodity speculation—are the primary drivers of corn and soybean price volatility.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the use of Natural Capital Assessment (NCA) to optimize land resource allocation in Indonesia. It argues that integrating social, biophysical, and economic data into spatial planning can help Indonesia achieve economic growth targets while minimizing deforestation and social conflict.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative explores the use of Natural Capital Assessment (NCA) to optimize land resource allocation in Indonesia. It argues that by integrating social, biophysical, and economic data into spatial planning, Indonesia can meet economic growth targets while reducing deforestation and community conflict.

This fact sheet describes a research project investigating the bidirectional relationships between climate, land use, and groundwater in the Pampas region, specifically focusing on the northwest portion of the Río Salado basin in Argentina.