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This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the paradox of the Legal Amazon, a region that generates over 25% of Brazil's electricity via large hydroelectric plants but where millions of residents remain disconnected from the National Interconnected System (SIN). These populations rely on expensive, polluting diesel-powered isolated systems or lack reliable electricity entirely, a situation linked to poor socioeconomic indicators and inefficient auction models for energy supply.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the energy paradox in the Brazilian Legal Amazon, where the region hosts some of the country's largest hydroelectric plants yet millions of residents rely on expensive, polluting diesel-based isolated systems or lack electricity entirely. The document analyzes the socio-economic disparities between connected and isolated municipalities, the financial burden of fuel subsidies, and the barriers to transitioning toward renewable energy sources.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-Rio analyzes how ongoing legal controversies in Brazil are hindering the implementation of the 2012 Forest Code (Law No. 12.651). It details four primary legal disputes: the conflict between the Forest Code and the Atlantic Forest Law, the determination of temporal milestones for Legal Reserve requirements under Article 68, the validity of revising previous environmental commitment terms, and the contradictory criteria for Environmental Reserve Quotas (CRA).

The report analyzes the failure of federal and state regulations in Brazil to effectively cancel Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) inscriptions that overlap with Indigenous Lands (TIs). It highlights that current systems often only protect fully homologated lands, leaving TIs in the demarcation process vulnerable to illegal land claims. The authors propose a standardized administrative process for summary cancellation of total overlaps and a notification system for partial overlaps to protect indigenous territorial rights.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-Rio analyzes the relationship between forest fires and subsequent deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon from 2013 to 2020. The study finds that while forest fires are not systematically used as a direct first step to clear vegetation in the same location, they serve as a strong leading indicator of imminent deforestation in the surrounding vicinity, particularly in rural settlements and occupied public lands.

This report analyzes the link between forest fires and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon (2013-2020). It finds that while only 11% of fire-affected forest is directly converted to clear-cut deforestation within three years, fire is a strong indicator of regional risk, with high rates of nearby deforestation. This association is particularly strong in rural settlements and public land holdings, suggesting fire's role in land grabbing. Regional disparities exist, with significant intensification of this pattern in states like Acre and Pará.

This executive summary analyzes the impact of Decree No. 9,760/2019 on the administrative enforcement procedures of IBAMA, Brazil's federal environmental agency. It argues that changes to the sanctioning process, combined with a shift toward military-led operations and the dismissal of technical staff, have weakened the state's ability to combat illegal deforestation and fires in the Amazon.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the potential for increasing cattle productivity in the Legal Amazon. It finds that current livestock production is homogeneously low-productivity and extensive, meaning that simply disseminating existing local best practices would only yield modest gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and a crackdown on land grabbing and illegal deforestation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative/PUC-Rio analyzes the productivity of livestock farming in the Legal Amazon. It finds that the region is dominated by a homogeneous, low-productivity extensive business model, meaning that simply scaling existing local best practices would yield limited gains. The authors argue that significant productivity increases require a new business model involving technologies not yet used at scale and the combatting of land grabbing (grilagem).

This 2021 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) provides a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012) across Brazilian states. It focuses on the progress of the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), identifying significant bottlenecks in the analysis and validation of registries and the low rate of producer adherence to regularization programs. The report highlights disparities between states, noting that while registration is advanced nationwide, the transition to actual environmental recovery remains a major challenge.

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.

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 Friends of the Earth International analyzes the 2019 Amazon rainforest fires as a result of corporate power and the expansion of the agricultural frontier. It argues that the MercoSur-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will accelerate deforestation, violate the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and reinforce Brazil's neo-colonial dependence by prioritizing the profits of transnational corporations over environmental and human rights.

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.

The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Land Use is a guide by RMI that provides four specific actions for subnational governments to address climate goals through land management, open space conservation, methane capture, and regenerative agriculture.

This report assesses progress toward Goal 8 of the New York Declaration on Forests, which focuses on providing support for strategies to reduce forest emissions. The assessment highlights a significant imbalance between 'green' finance aligned with forest goals and 'grey' finance that potentially drives deforestation, noting that international public and private investments in sustainable forestry remain insufficient compared to the scale of the challenge.

This report summarizes progress toward Goal 9 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), which focuses on rewarding countries and jurisdictions that reduce forest emissions through public policies, results-based payments, and private-sector commodity sourcing.

This executive summary assesses progress toward Goals 8 and 9 of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), focusing on forest finance. It concludes that 'green finance' aligned with forest and climate goals is insufficient and vastly outweighed by 'grey finance'—investments and subsidies that drive deforestation. While some progress is noted in results-based REDD+ payments and impact investing, the report argues that a dramatic shift in investment is required to achieve zero deforestation.

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.