Impact of land tenure on deforestation control and forest restoration in Brazilian Amazonia.

This study examines how land tenure constrains Brazil's ability to meet its deforestation control and forest restoration goals in its Amazonia biome. Our findings are based on an updated assessment of land tenure and land use in the region. Between 2019 and 2021, 44% of deforestation in Amazonia occurred in private lands, while forest removal in settlements ranged from 31% to 27% of the total. Deforestation in undesignated public lands increased from 11% in 2008 to 18% in 2021. Deforestation is highly concentrated, with 1% of properties accounting for 82.5% of forest cuts in 2021. In Amazonia, there is considerable non-compliance with the legal reserve provisions set by Brazil's Forest Code. Legal reserve deficits in private lands sum up to 18.17?Mha (million hectares), compared with 12.49?Mha of legal reserve surpluses. Even if all forest surpluses are offered in the forest credits market set in the Forest Code, farmers still need to restore 5.67?Mha to comply with the law. Large-scale cattle ranchers have a legal reserve deficit of 10.35?Mha (34% of their area). Most crop farming occurs in medium and large properties (4.63?Mha) with a large proportion of legal reserve deficits (45%). Given the political power and financial resources of large ranchers and crop producers, Brazil faces major challenges in inducing these farmers to meet their legal obligations. Therefore, Brazil needs to combine robust command-and-control strategies with market-based policies to achieve its deforestation and forest restoration goals. The government should tailor forest protection and restoration policies to the needs of different landowners, considering their land use practices, technical capacity, and financial resources.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: CAMARA, G., SIMÕES, R., RUIVO, H. M., ANDRADE, P. R., SOTERRONI, A. C., RAMOS, F. M., RAMOS, R. G., SCARABELLO, M., ALMEIDA, C., SANCHES, I., MAURANO, L., COUTINHO, A. C., ESQUERDO, J. C. D. M., ANTUNES, J. F. G., VENTURIERI, A., ADAMI, M.
Other Authors: GILBERTO CAMARA, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; ROLF SIMOES, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; HELOISA M. RUIVO, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; PEDRO R. ANDRADE, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; ALINE C. SOTERRONI, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD; FERNANDO M. RAMOS, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; RAFAEL G. RAMOS, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; MARLUCE SCARABELLO, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; CLAUDIO ALMEIDA, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; IEDA SANCHES, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; LUIS MAURANO, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS; ALEXANDRE CAMARGO COUTINHO, CNPTIA; JULIO CESAR DALLA MORA ESQUERDO, CNPTIA; JOAO FRANCISCO GONCALVES ANTUNES, CNPTIA; ADRIANO VENTURIERI, CPATU; MARCOS ADAMI, INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE PESQUISAS ESPACIAIS.
Format: Artigo de periódico biblioteca
Language:Ingles
English
Published: 2023-05-19
Subjects:Recuperação florestal, Brazilian Amazonia, Política de uso da terra no Brasil, Código florestal brasileiro, Cadastro Ambiental Rural, CAR, Brazil´s Forest Code, Brazil´s NDC, Land use policy in Brazil, Desmatamento, Posse de Terra, Impacto Ambiental, Land use, Land ownership, Land tenure, Environmental impact, Deforestation, Forest restoration,
Online Access:http://www.alice.cnptia.embrapa.br/alice/handle/doc/1153847
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/acd20a
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Summary:This study examines how land tenure constrains Brazil's ability to meet its deforestation control and forest restoration goals in its Amazonia biome. Our findings are based on an updated assessment of land tenure and land use in the region. Between 2019 and 2021, 44% of deforestation in Amazonia occurred in private lands, while forest removal in settlements ranged from 31% to 27% of the total. Deforestation in undesignated public lands increased from 11% in 2008 to 18% in 2021. Deforestation is highly concentrated, with 1% of properties accounting for 82.5% of forest cuts in 2021. In Amazonia, there is considerable non-compliance with the legal reserve provisions set by Brazil's Forest Code. Legal reserve deficits in private lands sum up to 18.17?Mha (million hectares), compared with 12.49?Mha of legal reserve surpluses. Even if all forest surpluses are offered in the forest credits market set in the Forest Code, farmers still need to restore 5.67?Mha to comply with the law. Large-scale cattle ranchers have a legal reserve deficit of 10.35?Mha (34% of their area). Most crop farming occurs in medium and large properties (4.63?Mha) with a large proportion of legal reserve deficits (45%). Given the political power and financial resources of large ranchers and crop producers, Brazil faces major challenges in inducing these farmers to meet their legal obligations. Therefore, Brazil needs to combine robust command-and-control strategies with market-based policies to achieve its deforestation and forest restoration goals. The government should tailor forest protection and restoration policies to the needs of different landowners, considering their land use practices, technical capacity, and financial resources.