Search Climate Insights Directory

The document serves as a legislative annex listing the legal framework governing the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) in Brazil. It details federal laws, such as Law No. 12,651/2012, and specific state-level regulations for 23 Brazilian states and the Federal District, covering topics such as native vegetation protection, legal reserve compensation, and environmental licensing.

The study finds that while forest fires in the Brazilian Amazon are not systematically used as a direct first step to clear vegetation—with only 11% of fire-affected areas being deforested within three years—they often serve as a leading indicator of imminent deforestation in the surrounding vicinity. This association is significantly stronger in rural settlements and occupied public lands, suggesting fires may facilitate land grabbing. Regionally, the link between fire and nearby deforestation has strengthened in states such as Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, and Roraima, peaking in 2017.

The study finds that while the direct local conversion of degraded areas into deforested land is low (10% of total deforestation), there is a strong regional association: 30% of total deforestation occurs within one kilometer of previously degraded areas. This association is most frequent in medium or large private properties, rural settlements, and undesignated areas. The authors argue that degradation alerts can serve as a leading indicator for regional forest risk, suggesting that law enforcement should target both degraded areas and their immediate surroundings, particularly on private lands.

Between 2013 and 2020, approximately 42% of fire hotspots in the Brazilian Amazon occurred in previously undisturbed forests, affecting an estimated 18,000 square kilometers annually. While only 11% of fire-affected forest areas transitioned to clear-cut deforestation within three years, fire serves as a strong regional indicator of risk, with high rates of subsequent deforestation occurring in the surrounding areas. This association is particularly strong in rural settlements and public land holdings, where fire may facilitate land grabbing. Regional analysis shows an intensification of this fire-deforestation link in states such as Acre, Amazonas, Pará, Rondônia, and Roraima, especially around 2017.

The report analyzes the spatial and temporal links between forest degradation and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2017 to 2020. Using INPE's DETER and PRODES systems, it finds that while direct local conversion of degraded areas into deforested land is low (10%), a significant portion of deforestation (30%) occurs within 1 km of previously degraded areas. The study highlights that degradation is more prevalent in medium and large private properties than deforestation is, suggesting that degradation can serve as a regional risk indicator for future deforestation and that policy efforts should be targeted based on land tenure categories.

The report examines the Brazil's Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) as a key entity for risk management and preventive audits in federal land transport infrastructure. It finds that the TCU often becomes the primary body for approving Technical, Economical and Environmental Feasibility Studies (EVTEA), but typically does so too late in the project life cycle, leading to inefficiencies and wasted public resources. Through case studies of the BR-163/230/MT/PA highway, the North-South Railway (FNSTC), the South Integration Highway (RIS), and Ferrogrão, the document illustrates the TCU's role in defining environmental responsibilities and identifying flaws in feasibility studies, while maintaining a boundary that avoids infringing on the Executive Branch's discretionary power.

The report examines how the TCU has evolved into a primary instance for the preventive control of socio-environmental risks in federal transport infrastructure concessions. While the TCU provides critical oversight to mitigate risks and ensure legal security, its intervention often occurs too late in the project lifecycle. This tardiness is attributed to a lack of motivated and transparent approval of Technical, Economic, and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA) by the Executive branch at the start of the viability phase. The document analyzes four case studies—BR-163/230/MT/PA, the North-South Railway (FNSTC), the Southern Integration Highway (RIS), and Ferrogrão—to illustrate the tensions between the TCU's oversight and the Executive's discretionary power, as well as the systemic failures in viability study quality, often exacerbated by the use of Manifestation of Interest (PMI) procedures.

The report assesses the progress of SDG localization across 28 global case studies, highlighting a significant gap between high-level commitment and practical local implementation. Key findings indicate that while some 'SDG champions' like New York City lead in data analysis and engagement, many regions struggle with weak institutional governance, a lack of systematic analysis of SDG interlinkages (synergies and trade-offs), and limited financial resources. The COVID-19 pandemic is noted as a major setback that reallocated budgets toward healthcare, though it also created opportunities for green recovery. The study emphasizes the need for better evidence-based local data, increased participation of local actors in international forums, and the use of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) to enhance accountability.

The report analyzes four federal infrastructure projects in Pará: Ferrogrão, BR-155/158, BR-163/230/MT/PA, and BR-230. Using a 'market access approach', researchers found that these projects collectively risk nearly 7,000 square kilometers of native Amazon vegetation, with 3,800 square kilometers located in Pará. The study highlights significant transparency issues, noting that socio-environmental documents were often unavailable or difficult to access. It argues that the state of Pará should engage in early political coordination with the Federal Government to incorporate deforestation control and land governance measures into project designs, estimating an annual mitigation cost of US$ 43 million for the region.

The Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-Rio analyzed four federal transport projects in Pará—EF-170 Ferrogrão, BR-155/158, BR-163/230/MT/PA, and BR-230—using project life cycle mapping and a market access approach to quantify deforestation risks. The study emphasizes that local governments must engage with federal authorities to mitigate negative impacts, though the window for dialogue varies by project stage: early-stage projects like BR-155/158 offer more opportunities, while implemented projects like BR-163/230/MT/PA and BR-230 require political articulation rather than project-level discussion.

The document advocates for the inclusion of human rights protections in the EU's upcoming legislation on forest and ecosystem-risk commodities (FERCs). It argues that deforestation is intrinsically linked to human rights abuses, particularly against Indigenous Peoples, and that protecting these rights is essential for effective forest conservation. The briefing proposes a product-based due diligence framework with a 'negligible risk' threshold, mandatory investigation of land tenure and free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC), and rights of redress before EU courts. To demonstrate feasibility, it provides case studies of Brazilian beef supply chains involving JBS and Marfrig, showing that human rights risks can be identified using publicly available digital information.

The Amazônia Sustainable Supply Chains (AMSSC) Mechanism, proposed by Natura and Mauá Capital, aims to scale the bioeconomy in the Brazilian Amazon by addressing financing gaps for smallholder cooperatives. The instrument consists of a receivables fund that provides upfront payments based on off-take agreements and an Enabling Conditions Facility (ECF) for technical and community support. The pilot targets 3 million hectares of forest conservation by 2030, potentially avoiding 1.4 billion tons of CO2 emissions. It employs a blended finance structure with subordinated, senior, and potentially mezzanine tranches to de-risk investments and catalyze further corporate and philanthropic capital.

The report analyzes four federal transport projects in Pará: Ferrogrão, BR-155/158, BR-163/230/MT/PA, and BR-230. Using a 'market access approach,' the authors quantify the risk of deforestation and the associated costs of mitigation. The findings highlight a systemic lack of transparency in project documentation and a significant environmental risk, with the four projects potentially endangering nearly 7,000 square kilometers of native Amazon vegetation. The study argues that the state of Pará should engage with the Federal Government to incorporate deforestation control funding into project designs.

The report analyzes four federal transport projects in Pará: Ferrogrão, BR-155/158, BR-163/230/MT/PA, and BR-230. It finds that these projects collectively risk nearly 7,000 square kilometers of native Amazon vegetation, with over half of the impact occurring in Pará. The study highlights a systemic lack of transparency regarding socio-environmental documents and argues that the state government should engage in early dialogue with federal authorities to incorporate mitigation costs into project designs. Using a 'market access' methodology, the report quantifies the indirect deforestation risks and suggests that mitigation through funds like the Amazon Fund is more cost-effective than paying the social cost of carbon.

The report analyzes how changes to Brazil's environmental legal framework, specifically the introduction of a mandatory conciliation phase and the replacement of technical staff with military personnel, have weakened the effectiveness of IBAMA's enforcement. It argues that these shifts, combined with the suspension of the PPCDAm and the implementation of military-led operations, have contributed to increased deforestation and illegal fires in the Amazon while reducing the number of environmental infractions processed.

The document analyzes 14 large-scale railroad and highway projects in the Legal Amazon, finding significant gaps in the viability phase. Key issues include the lack of a mandatory sequence between Technical, Economic and Environmental Viability Studies (EVTEA) and Environmental Impact Studies (EIA), and a severe lack of transparency, with 57% of essential documents unavailable. The authors recommend mandating that EVTEA precede EIA to identify risks earlier and establishing a centralized database for all concession documents.

The report examines the transition of Ibama's environmental sanctioning process toward a model centered on environmental conciliation. It argues that while conciliation could theoretically speed up processes, its implementation under the current administration has been deficient due to regulatory delays, a lack of technical qualification in key appointments, and a dangerous centralization of power. These failures, combined with the replacement of career staff with political appointees, are found to weaken the deterrent effect of environmental fines and contribute to increased deforestation in the Amazon.

The document finds that cattle productivity in the Legal Amazon is uniformly low and extensive, meaning that disseminating the practices of the region's most productive municipalities would only increase production value by 17.6-29.4%. This is significantly lower than the potential gains seen in grain production. To achieve major productivity increases without deforestation, the authors argue for the adoption of new technologies—such as crop-livestock integration systems (ICLS)—and the combatting of land grabbing and illegal deforestation, which currently incentivize low-productivity extensive ranching for land speculation.

The report finds that livestock productivity in the Legal Amazon is highly homogeneous and characterized by an extensive production model with low input use. While disseminating existing best practices from the most productive municipalities could increase production value by 17.6-29.4% without further deforestation, this is significantly lower than the potential seen in crop agriculture. The authors argue that substantial gains require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale, such as integrated crop-livestock systems, and the combatting of land grabbing (grilagem), which incentivizes low-productivity extensive ranching for land speculation.

The briefing analyzes forest degradation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2007 to 2016, defining it as the partial loss of forest biomass. It finds that degradation is more widespread than clear-cut deforestation, averaging 11,000 km2 per year, and is concentrated in the 'Arco do Desmatamento', specifically in Mato Grosso and Pará. The study highlights that the relationship between degradation and subsequent deforestation varies by land tenure category: while conversion is low in protected territories, it is higher in small private properties and rural settlements, where degradation may serve as a low-cost precursor to total forest removal. The authors argue that degradation should be used as an indicator of imminent environmental damage to better allocate scarce public resources.