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The study analyzes the 'El Morro' catchment in Argentina, where the conversion of native forests to agriculture has led to rising water tables and the emergence of new streams. The authors identify five mechanisms of competition: plants taking water from streams via unsaturated uptake (mechanism 1), focalized saturated uptake in wetlands (mechanism 2), and distributed saturated uptake in forests (mechanism 3); and streams taking water from plants through streambed deepening (mechanism 4) and sediment deposition (mechanism 5). Findings indicate that while unsaturated uptake previously suppressed streamflow, current high water tables have made saturated uptake by forests and wetlands significant, though deepening streams are now actively reclaiming water by lowering local water tables.

The report examines Rwanda's bioeconomy by modelling biomass flows and land-use changes through 2050. It finds that while population growth and urbanization will drive a significant increase in biomass demand in a baseline scenario, a sustainable resource use scenario—focused on clean cooking and fuel-switching—could reduce wood requirements by approximately 5 million tonnes by 2050. The study highlights the unsustainable nature of urban charcoal reliance in Kigali and suggests that shifting wood fuel sourcing to smallholder and agroforestry plantations can preserve state forests.

The report examines the link between environmental degradation and the rising frequency of zoonotic diseases, using COVID-19 as a primary example. It identifies land-use change for agriculture and the trade of high-risk wildlife as the primary drivers of pathogen spillover. The document proposes a 'New Deal for Nature and People' focusing on halting high-risk wildlife trade, eliminating deforestation from supply chains, and implementing a 'One Health' approach to economic recovery.

The report analyzes bioeconomy visions in Colombia based on a 2019 expert workshop, concluding that a 'bioresources' vision—balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability—currently predominates. While sectors like agriculture, biochemistry, bio-pharmaceuticals, and bioenergy show varying alignments with biotechnology or bioecology visions, common barriers include land tenure insecurity, poor rural road infrastructure, and the risk of overexploiting commercial species. The document argues that for a bioeconomy to be truly sustainable, Colombia must move beyond viewing biodiversity as a mere competitive advantage and instead integrate holistic monitoring of environmental outcomes and inclusive regional development.

The document analyzes the drivers of zoonotic disease emergence, emphasizing the role of human-animal-environment interfaces. It identifies land-use change, agricultural intensification, and wildlife trade as primary direct drivers that increase human exposure to pathogens. The brief proposes a systems approach to identify leverage points for intervention, such as regulating high-risk wildlife taxa in markets and re-engineering food supply chains, while warning against rushed interventions that could undermine food security or drive illegal trade. It also examines the role of climate change in expanding the range of endemic diseases and explores future scenarios for human health and conservation.

The analysis finds that rural credit for small farmers (specifically through PRONAF) increases crop and cattle productivity and reduces deforestation by converting pasture to cropland. Conversely, credit for large farmers and firms is associated with the expansion of both cropland and pasture, leading to higher deforestation. The document recommends that Brazilian policymakers prioritize small farmers in credit distribution to align subsidies with forest conservation goals.

The policy brief estimates that the construction of the EF-170 Ferrogrão railway will induce the deforestation of 2,043 square kilometers of native vegetation in Mato Grosso if no mitigation measures are implemented. This land-use change is projected to release 75 million tonnes of carbon, representing an environmental cost of approximately US$ 1.9 billion, which is about 60% of the project's estimated implementation cost of US$ 3.1 billion. The analysis uses a 'market access' approach to show how improved logistics for grain producers will increase demand for land, specifically affecting 38 municipalities.

The report analyzes the bioeconomy landscape in Colombia, identifying a predominant 'bio-resources' vision that balances economic growth with environmental sustainability. Through a multi-stakeholder workshop, it explores sectoral visions for agriculture, biochemistry, bio-pharmaceuticals, and bioenergy, emphasizing the need for territorial development and the use of residual biomass. The document highlights critical sustainability gaps, including the risk of biodiversity loss if species are valued only for commercial advantage, the lack of formal land property rights for 60% of rural properties, and poor road infrastructure, with 75% of tertiary roads in poor condition. It concludes that a holistic, decentralized governance approach is necessary to align the bioeconomy with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The document traces the development of the bioeconomy concept from its roots in biotechnology and life sciences to a broader policy framework aimed at sustainability and climate goals. It highlights the EU's leadership in establishing bioeconomy strategies, which have influenced national policies globally. The text distinguishes between biotechnology-centered and transformation-centered approaches, while emphasizing that bio-based products are not inherently sustainable. It also discusses the rise of regional bioeconomy clusters and the need for participatory governance and life-cycle assessments to ensure genuine ecological benefits.

WWF argues that while biobased and biodegradable plastics can support a circular economy, they are not standalone solutions to plastic pollution and must be managed through strict, metric-based assessments and proper infrastructure to avoid environmental trade-offs.

The study compares three socio-economic scenarios (SSP1-3) across three models (IMAGE, GLOBIOM, and PLUMv2) to evaluate the impact of cropland expansion on biodiversity and carbon storage. It finds substantial variation between the nine projections, with the choice of model explaining a greater proportion of the variance than the scenario used. IMAGE and GLOBIOM project the highest impacts on carbon and biodiversity, while SSP1 projects the lowest, though still significant, impacts.

The Living Planet Report 2020 documents a severe global decline in wildlife populations and ecosystems, highlighting the interconnectedness of nature and human health. It identifies land-use change, overexploitation, and climate change as primary drivers of biodiversity loss and proposes a roadmap to 'bend the curve' of this decline through integrated conservation and food system reform.

The report examines the global wildfire crisis, highlighting that humans are responsible for 75% of all wildfires and that climate change is increasing fire season length and severity. It details the devastating impacts on biodiversity, human health, and economies, while calling for urgent global action through improved climate ambition, a shift toward prevention-based budgeting, and the halting of deforestation.

The 2020 Plowprint Report finds that between 2014 and 2018, grasslands in the Great Plains were tilled at an average rate of four football fields per minute. In 2018, approximately 2.1 million acres were converted across the U.S. and Canada, though this was offset by a 2 million acre increase in perennial cover. Wheat is the primary driver of conversion in the Northern Great Plains, while corn and soy dominate conversion across the U.S. The report also introduces a new analysis of northern Mexico's grasslands and updates its tracking methodology to improve spatial resolution and accuracy.

The Clean Air Task Force argues that the EPA's 2020 RFS regulations fail to meet the goals of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 by prioritizing food-based biofuels over advanced and cellulosic alternatives. The organization highlights that the 2020 mandate for advanced biofuels was reduced to 25% (5.04 billion gallons) and cellulosic biofuels to less than 3% (0.54 billion gallons) of a revised 20-billion-gallon total, leading to habitat loss and negative climate impacts.

The report argues that the bioeconomy—the use of bio-based feedstocks and processes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions—requires context-specific sustainability monitoring across environmental, economic, social, and governance pillars. It highlights that while the bioeconomy can support UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it risks deepening existing social inequalities if not managed through a lens of feminist political ecology and multidimensional poverty frameworks. The authors propose a monitoring system that integrates socio-economic indicators, such as the Human Development Index (HDI) and Gini Index, to ensure benefits reach vulnerable groups in the global South.

The document examines how the consumption of Argentine soy in Europe and other regions externalizes environmental and social costs to Argentina, complicating the achievement of SDGs. It highlights significant land-use change, GHG emissions, and mixed social impacts, while recommending bilateral cooperation between Argentina and the EU to mitigate these spillovers.

The document examines the environmental and socioeconomic externalities of Argentine soybean production driven by global demand, particularly from the EU. It highlights that while soybean exports provide macroeconomic stability for Argentina, they cause significant environmental degradation, including deforestation and GHG emissions, and mixed social outcomes. The brief argues that achieving the SDGs requires coordinated international governance and shared responsibility between producing and consuming regions to mitigate these negative spillovers.

The document examines the soy value chain from Argentina to Europe, highlighting how environmental and social costs are externalized to the producer. It argues that achieving SDGs 12 and 17 requires consumption-based accounting and bilateral cooperation to manage these spillovers.

The report examines Indonesia's transport fuel subsidy regime, noting that while 2015 reforms initially saved over USD 15 billion, subsidies re-emerged as the government fixed prices despite rising international oil costs. This underpricing, particularly of 'Premium' gasoline, resulted in an estimated IDR 54.5 trillion in foregone revenue for Pertamina between 2014 and 2019. The author argues that subsidizing low-quality, high-sulphur fuels exacerbates urban air pollution and health costs, citing a 2010 study where air pollution-related treatment costs in Jakarta reached IDR 38.5 trillion. The document also analyzes the life-cycle emissions of biodiesel and electric vehicles, noting that EVs powered by Indonesia's coal-heavy grid may increase global warming potential compared to internal combustion engines. To resolve these issues, the report proposes three pricing models—smoothing, ratcheting, and cap-and-floor—to minimize price volatility while ensuring fiscal sustainability.