COMBATING DEFORESTATION IN THE BRAZILIAN AMAZON: OPTIONS FOR NATIONAL AND GLOBAL GOVERNANCE

Abstract

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has decreased over the last years but there are still several illegal activities pushing it forward. The Brazilian government is taking a prominent role in regard to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by voluntarily committing to GHG reductions. As GHG emissions from deforestation account for 60% of total Brazilian emission, the government has promoted several policies in this regard. Those policies are discussed in order to access its effectiveness to control the deforestation drivers over time. It is shown that some of those policies were able to reduce the deforestation; however, there are some indirect relationships that those policies could not capture. It is also highlighted some options that could improve those deforestation policies.