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This executive summary provides a 2021 snapshot of the implementation of Brazil's Native Vegetation Protection Law (Forest Code), specifically focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). While property registration is well-advanced nationwide, the report identifies significant bottlenecks in the analysis and validation of these registrations and a lack of producer interest in joining the PRA, leaving the final stage of environmental regularization as a major challenge across most states.

This 2020 report by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio monitors the state-level implementation of Brazil's Native Vegetation Protection Law (Forest Code), specifically focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). It identifies the analysis and validation of CAR registrations as the primary bottleneck and notes that while some states have made progress, many lack operational PRAs and sufficient normative frameworks for forest restoration.

The report evaluates agricultural risk management in Brazil, finding that while the insurance market has grown, it remains highly concentrated and underfunded compared to rural credit. It highlights that nearly 60% of municipalities lack insurance and suggests redirecting public funds from credit to insurance and expanding the use of Agricultural Climate Risk Zoning (ZARC) to improve productivity and land use.

This research paper introduces a high-spatial-resolution bottom-up approach for quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agricultural trade, applying it to Brazilian soy exports from 2010–2015 to demonstrate significant variability in carbon footprints based on origin and destination.

This 2020 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012) across Brazilian states, focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA). It identifies significant disparities in progress, noting that while CAR registration is widespread, the analysis and validation phase remains a critical bottleneck. The report details state-level regulations for restoring Permanent Preservation Areas (APP) and Legal Reserves (RL), the role of the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB) in providing technological infrastructure, and the legal uncertainties surrounding the potential implementation of a Federal PRA.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law 12.651/2012) across Brazilian states, focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA). It evaluates state-level regulations, the progress of CAR validation, and the operational status of PRAs, highlighting significant regional disparities in progress and the technical challenges facing state environmental agencies.

This research paper analyzes the economic impact of agricultural expansion in the Matopiba region of Brazil (Maranhão, Tocantins, Piauí, and Bahia) within the Cerrado biome. Finding that agricultural production accelerated after the late 1990s—driven by a shift toward soy—the study concludes that this expansion increased total GDP per capita by 11% relative to non-Cerrado areas, primarily through direct agricultural growth and indirect spillovers into the services sector. While access to electricity and durable goods (TVs, refrigerators) improved, the expansion had no significant effect on manufacturing GDP, migration, or educational attainment.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the historical evolution, current structure, and systemic challenges of rural property rights in Brazil. It highlights how a legacy of disordered land occupation and a fragmented institutional framework have led to widespread land insecurity, social conflict, and environmental degradation. The document provides a detailed mapping of land categories, evaluates current government regularization programs, and offers policy recommendations to improve governance, law enforcement, and the integration of land registries.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the historical evolution and current state of rural land rights in Brazil. It identifies systemic insecurities caused by complex legislation, fragmented governance, and a lack of unified land registries, which contribute to land conflicts, deforestation, and inefficient land use. The document provides a framework for improvement focusing on governance, enforcement, regulation, and knowledge, while evaluating specific initiatives like the Terra Legal Program and the SIG-Fundiário system.

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 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 policy brief analyzes the coherence of national development, conservation, and climate policies in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru using a water-energy-food (WEF) nexus approach. It identifies significant trade-offs between ambitious renewable energy and agricultural targets and the preservation of the Amazon biome's ecosystem services, which are critical for regional water, food, and energy security.

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 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 fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative describes research conducted by the Land Use Initiative (INPUT) regarding the agricultural expansion in the MATOPIBA region of Brazil. The document analyzes the economic and social consequences of increased soy and maize production, specifically comparing municipalities within the Cerrado biome to those outside it between the late 1990s and 2012.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) and Amazônia 2030 analyzes the potential for carbon capture through forest restoration in the Brazilian Amazon. It proposes the Reversing Deforestation Mechanism (RDM), a jurisdictional payment system for net carbon removals, as a way to generate significant economic revenue and help Brazil meet its climate goals (NDC). The report argues that combining the RDM with other financial mechanisms like JREDD+ and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF) can create a comprehensive financial architecture to protect standing forests and restore degraded lands.

This report by Climate Policy Initiative and Amazônia 2030 analyzes the role of state public policies in promoting forest restoration in the Brazilian Amazon. It examines the regulatory frameworks of seven states, identifying that while state policies significantly drive mandatory restoration through the Forest Code, there are substantial gaps in incentives for voluntary restoration, integration with carbon markets, and the promotion of native species silviculture.

This report by Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-RIO and Amazon 2030 analyzes the potential for carbon sequestration through forest restoration in the Brazilian Amazon. It proposes the Reversing Deforestation Mechanism (RDM), a jurisdictional results-based payment system, as a way to mobilize significant investment and align land use with climate goals. The report compares the RDM with other financial mechanisms like JREDD+ and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), arguing that a complementary approach to conservation, avoided deforestation, and restoration is essential for Brazil to meet its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).