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Potential increase of legal deforestation in Brazilian Amazon after Forest Act revision

Author

Listed:
  • Flavio L. M. Freitas

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering)

  • Gerd Sparovek

    (University of São Paulo, Soil Science Department)

  • Göran Berndes

    (Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Physical Resource Theory)

  • U. Martin Persson

    (Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Physical Resource Theory)

  • Oskar Englund

    (Chalmers University of Technology, Department of Space, Earth and Environment, Physical Resource Theory
    Mid Sweden University)

  • Alberto Barretto

    (University of São Paulo, Soil Science Department)

  • Ulla Mörtberg

    (KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Sustainable Development, Environmental Science and Engineering)

Abstract

The Brazilian Amazon rainforest is protected largely by command and control regulation of public and private land. The Brazilian Forest Act requires private landholders within the Amazon to set aside 80% of their land as legal reserves for nature protection, but this requirement can be reduced to 50% if more than 65% of a state’s territory is protected public land (for example, public conservation units and indigenous reserves). In the ongoing land designation process in Brazil, some Amazonian states may cross this 65% threshold. We assess the potential reduction in the legal reserve requirement from 80% to 50%, through spatially explicit modelling of scenarios concerning land tenure consolidation, employing up-to-date databases on land ownership. Depending on the outcome of land designation processes and political priorities, some 6.5–15.4 million hectares of private land previously protected as legal reserves may become available for legal deforestation. While protection of public land is crucial for safeguarding the Amazon, revisions of federal and state legislation may be needed to avoid the further extension of protected public land triggering increased legal deforestation on private lands. Zero-deforestation commitments and other initiatives may mitigate impacts in the absence of such revision.

Suggested Citation

  • Flavio L. M. Freitas & Gerd Sparovek & Göran Berndes & U. Martin Persson & Oskar Englund & Alberto Barretto & Ulla Mörtberg, 2018. "Potential increase of legal deforestation in Brazilian Amazon after Forest Act revision," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(11), pages 665-670, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:11:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0171-4
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0171-4
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. van der Hoff, Richard & Rajão, Raoni, 2020. "The politics of environmental market instruments: Coalition building and knowledge filtering in the regulation of forest certificates trading in Brazil," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    2. Porro, Roberto & Porro, Noemi Sakiara Miyasaka, 2022. "State-led social and environmental policy failure in a Brazilian forest frontier: Sustainable Development Project in Anapu, Pará," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    3. West, Thales A.P. & Fearnside, Philip M., 2021. "Brazil’s conservation reform and the reduction of deforestation in Amazonia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    4. Flach, Rafaela & Abrahão, Gabriel & Bryant, Benjamin & Scarabello, Marluce & Soterroni, Aline C. & Ramos, Fernando M. & Valin, Hugo & Obersteiner, Michael & Cohn, Avery S., 2021. "Conserving the Cerrado and Amazon biomes of Brazil protects the soy economy from damaging warming," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    5. Andonova, Liliana B. & Piselli, Dario, 2022. "Transnational partnerships, domestic institutions, and sustainable development. The case of Brazil and the Amazon Region Protected Areas program," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    6. Conceição, Katyanne V. & Chaves, Michel E.D. & Picoli, Michelle C.A. & Sánchez, Alber H. & Soares, Anderson R. & Mataveli, Guilherme A.V. & Silva, Daniel E. & Costa, Joelma S. & Camara, Gilberto, 2021. "Government policies endanger the indigenous peoples of the Brazilian Amazon," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    7. Burgess, Robin & Costa, Francisco J M & Olken, Ben, 2019. "The Brazilian Amazon’s Double Reversal of Fortune," SocArXiv 67xg5, Center for Open Science.
    8. Malhado, Ana C.M. & Santos, Janisson & Correia, Ricardo A. & Campos-Silva, João V. & Teles, Davi & Costa, Marcos H. & Jepson, Paul & Ladle, Richard J., 2020. "Monitoring and mapping non-governmental conservation action in Amazonia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).

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