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Land grabbing in the Brazilian Amazon: Stealing public land with government approval

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  • Carrero, Gabriel Cardoso
  • Walker, Robert Tovey
  • Simmons, Cynthia Suzanne
  • Fearnside, Philip Martin

Abstract

We estimate the magnitude of land grabbing - the illegal appropriation of public land - on an active Amazonian frontier, the associated deforestation, and the rates at which these claims were legalized due to changes in the law and downsizing of settlements. Of all land claimed in Brazil's Rural Environmental Register (CAR) in our 300,689-km2 study area, 90.5% is non-compliant with Brazilian law and 45.8% is in protected areas. Changes in the law by 2017 reclassified as licit 4.2% of the illicit CAR land claims ) in 2014 (901 km2 yr-1). Downsizing settlements made 5266 km2 available for illegal appropriation. Deforestation in land claims accounted for 35% of the total, and this percentage is likely to grow. Planned future changes in land law will further jeopardize Amazon's natural and cultural heritage legalizing at least 10% of the area in this frontier. Importers of beef, soybeans and other commodities should bar products from land that has been grabbed as a result of changes in Brazil's land laws, reducing the outsourcing of deforestation.

Suggested Citation

  • Carrero, Gabriel Cardoso & Walker, Robert Tovey & Simmons, Cynthia Suzanne & Fearnside, Philip Martin, 2022. "Land grabbing in the Brazilian Amazon: Stealing public land with government approval," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:lauspo:v:120:y:2022:i:c:s0264837722001600
    DOI: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2022.106133
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    References listed on IDEAS

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