Search Climate Insights Directory

A report by Zero Carbon Analytics quantifies the economic risk to Europe-bound Brazilian soy exports caused by declining river levels in the Amazon. The analysis indicates that by mid-century, up to USD 1 billion in annual soy trade passing through the ports of Manaus and Santarém could be exposed to disruption due to critically low river flows driven by climate change and deforestation.

This policy brief argues that South Africa's 2025 G20 presidency provides a strategic opportunity to integrate subnational governments into the global climate and environmental agenda. It highlights the role of municipalities as frontline implementers of climate adaptation, mitigation, and biodiversity goals, while identifying systemic financial and capacity barriers that hinder their effectiveness in Africa and the Global South.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes energy efficiency (EE) mechanisms for electricity-intensive consumers, comparing international experiences from the European Union, USA, China, and other nations with the current policy landscape in Brazil. It identifies direct and indirect benefits of EE, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and increased industrial competitiveness, and evaluates various regulatory, fiscal, and market-based instruments to provide recommendations for improving Brazil's energy efficiency framework.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the activities of the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) in the Legal Amazon from 2009 to 2019. It highlights a concentration of funding in large-scale hydroelectric infrastructure that serves the rest of Brazil, while a significant portion of the local population remains without reliable electricity or basic sanitation. The document suggests that BNDES has an opportunity to pivot toward the energy transition and regional development by investing in renewable energy and digital connectivity.

This report analyzes the socio-environmental impacts of logistics infrastructure in the Legal Amazon, Brazil, noting that such projects often drive deforestation and carbon emissions while providing limited local benefit. It proposes replacing inconsistent geographic-based 'area of influence' delimitations with a 'market access approach' based on transportation costs and market size. Using the BR-319 highway as a case study, the report demonstrates how this approach identifies a much larger area of risk, including numerous indigenous territories and conservation units, and recommends that the Ministry of Infrastructure integrate these assessments into the earliest stages of project planning.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the industrial policy of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM), arguing that while it is named a 'free zone,' it functions conceptually as an 'enterprise zone' focused on regional development rather than international trade. The authors suggest that the current incentive structure fails to drive productivity or wage growth and recommend redefining the ZFM's identity to align its fiscal incentives with either international competitiveness or sustainable regional development.

This statement by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes a new substitute text for Bill (PL) no 2633/2020, which proposes changes to land regularization rules for federal lands in Brazil. The analysis identifies some procedural improvements regarding inter-agency consultation and the requirement for active Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) status, but criticizes the lack of environmental safeguards and the creation of unjustified benefits for small properties, which the authors argue may reward environmental crimes.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes a new substitute text for Bill PL nº 2633/2020, which proposes changes to land regularization rules in Brazil. The authors evaluate the proposal's impact on environmental safeguards, administrative procedures, and the alignment between land and environmental policies.

This report by the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) and Fundação Amazonas Sustentável (FAS) argues that the Amazon is 'too big to fail' and must transition from a 'deforestation economy' to an inclusive green economy. It details the systemic risks of an ecological tipping point and proposes the creation of the Amazon Green Economy Hub in Manaus to coordinate multi-stakeholder efforts, scale bioeconomy enterprises, and reform economic policies to value standing forests over land liquidation.

Minutes from the Green Economy Coalition (GEC) Steering Group meeting on August 26, 2020, focusing on the 'Economics for Nature' (E4N) programme, the establishment of an Amazon Regional Hub in partnership with FAS, and strategic responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes whether the tax incentives provided to the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) have improved the productive and energy efficiency of its industries compared to the rest of Brazil between 2003 and 2015. The study concludes that despite significant tax expenditures, there is no evidence that these incentives have increased efficiency, even in the region's most prominent industrial sectors.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the impact of the Zona Franca de Manaus (ZFM) on the Brazilian industrial sector, focusing on tax incentives, sectoral production, and workforce distribution compared to the rest of Brazil.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the complexity and fragmentation of the National Rural Credit System (SNCR) in Brazil. It argues that the current system, based on a 1960s framework, creates artificial obstacles to credit access and inconsistent loan conditions based on geographic location, farm size, and revenue, rather than agricultural potential.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) and the Núcleo de Avaliação de Políticas Climáticas da PUC-Rio (NAPC) analyzes the complexity and fragmentation of the Brazilian rural credit system. It argues that the current policy design, based on a structure from the 1960s, creates significant obstacles to credit access and financing conditions due to a multiplicity of rules tied to geographic location, property size, and agricultural revenue.

This commentary by Scott Vaughan, President and CEO of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), discusses the book 'On the Edge: The State and Fate of the World’s Tropical Rainforests' by Claude Martin. The text outlines the scientific history of tropical rainforest research, the primary drivers of deforestation—specifically agriculture and infrastructure—and the progress made through protected areas and remote sensing. It further examines the intersection of forest loss with climate change, carbon emissions, and the risks of species extinction.

The minutes of the Twenty-Fourth Meeting of the IAI Executive Council (EC), held in Manaus, Brazil, from June 12-15, 2007, detail the administrative, financial, and scientific progress of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. Key discussions focused on the transition of research networks, the implementation of a new strategic planning process, and efforts to improve member country engagement and funding stability.

Minutes from the 24th meeting of the Executive Council (EC) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Manaus, Brazil, from June 12-15, 2007. The meeting focused on scientific program updates, financial budgeting, strategic planning, and governance reforms.

The document records the decisions made during the Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held in Manaus, Brazil, on June 14-15, 2007. The meeting focused on administrative governance, budget approvals, and the appointment of key personnel and committees.

The document is a report of the 24th Meeting of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), held from December 6-8, 2006, in Cuernavaca, Mexico. The meeting focused on transitioning IAI science from individual projects to research programs, improving the societal relevance of Global Environmental Change (GEC) research, and strategic planning for the institution's future.

The document is a list of participants for the 14th IAI Conference of the Parties (CoP) Meeting and a Science Symposium held in Manaus, Brazil, on June 14-15, 2007. It lists representatives from various countries including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, the United States, and Venezuela, as well as IAI directorate staff, external review committee members, and local staff from the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA).