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This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2007 to 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. The study finds that degradation is a large-scale phenomenon that often precedes or occurs near clear-cut deforestation, with the relationship varying significantly based on land tenure categories. The authors argue that degradation should be a priority for conservation policy as a leading indicator of imminent environmental damage.

This research paper details a large-scale field study on the impact of selective logging and forest fires on carbon stocks in the Amazon, concluding that forest degradation can result in carbon losses equivalent to 40% of those caused by deforestation.