Search Climate Insights Directory

This 2025 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) provides a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012), specifically focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA) across Brazilian states. It details the transition of the National CAR System (Sicar) to a digital public infrastructure managed by Dataprev and the Ministry of Management and Innovation in Public Services (MGI), the adoption of automated analysis tools to accelerate CAR validation, and the persistent challenges in converting validated registries into effective forest restoration through the PRA.

This 2024 report by the Climate Policy Initiative and PUC-RIO monitors the implementation of Brazil's Forest Code (Law No. 12,651/2012), specifically focusing on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Compliance Program (PRA). It details the progress of various Brazilian states in registering rural properties, analyzing those registrations, and formalizing environmental recovery through Terms of Commitment (ToC).

The 2023 report on the Brazilian Forest Code implementation highlights a significant but uneven leap in CAR analysis and PRA regulation across states. While automated tools have accelerated progress in states like Mato Grosso do Sul and Pará, a critical bottleneck remains: only 2.7% of national registrations have completed analysis, largely due to the high volume of required data rectifications and communication failures with property owners. Political shifts in CAR management between federal ministries have added uncertainty, though subnational leadership continues to drive implementation.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) evaluates the 10-year implementation status of Brazil's Forest Code (Law no. 12,651 of 2012). It identifies the analysis of Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) data as the primary bottleneck and provides a seven-point priority agenda for the Lula administration to accelerate environmental regularization and the implementation of Environmental Compliance Programs (PRA).

This 2023 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) provides a comprehensive analysis of the implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code (Law No. 12.651/2012) across Brazilian states. It focuses on the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), detailing the progress in registration, data analysis, and the formalization of environmental recovery commitments. The document highlights a significant acceleration in 2023, with several states adopting automated analysis tools and expanding the number of signed commitment terms, while identifying persistent bottlenecks in communication with landowners and the lack of technical staff in certain regions.

This policy brief analyzes the 10-year implementation of the Brazilian Forest Code, highlighting a severe lack of uniformity across states. While some states have fully implemented the CAR and PRA systems, others remain stagnant. The analysis of CAR data is identified as the primary bottleneck, with only 2% of national registries fully concluded. The document proposes a seven-point agenda for the federal government, including the creation of a national implementation plan, strengthening the SICAR system, and improving the integration of the Forest Code with anti-deforestation policies and rural credit incentives.

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 (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 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the adoption dynamics of three agricultural technologies in Brazil between 2006 and 2017: no-till farming (Plantio Direto), tractors, and fertilizers. Using data from the 2017 Agricultural Census, the study identifies three distinct spatial patterns of adoption, suggesting that the drivers and environmental consequences of agricultural intensification vary by technology.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-Rio) analyzes the adoption of three agricultural intensification technologies in Brazil between 2006 and 2017: the Direct Planting System (DPS), tractors, and fertilizers. Using data from Brazil's 2017 Agricultural Census, the study identifies divergent spatial patterns of adoption, noting that while DPS is becoming more widespread, tractor use is becoming more concentrated in wealthier regions, and fertilizer use is increasing without a clear spatial pattern.

This research paper analyzes the determinants of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) generation penetration across 5,563 municipalities in Brazil. The study finds that demand-side factors—specifically population, GDP, and electricity tariffs—are more significant predictors of PV adoption than the availability of solar resources. The authors argue that current tariff subsidies in high-potential regions like the Northeast may be hindering PV growth and suggest that climate mitigation policies must address demand-side frictions to be effective.