Legal incentives for land grabbing and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon
Brenda Brito, Jeferson Almeida
The paper critically examines how the Brazilian Amazon's federal and state land laws inadvertently incentivize forest destruction, illegal land occupation, and subsequent titling. It identifies five critical incentives across nine states: continuous occupation of public lands, titling of recently deforested areas, lack of commitment to environmental liability recovery, subsidized land prices fueling speculation, and inadequate land allocation procedures. Recommendations include aligning policies with deforestation reduction, charging market prices for land sales, requiring pre-titling environmental commitments, prohibiting titling for recently deforested lands, and advocating for transparent land allocation. Brazil faces a crucial moment in determining how land laws impact forest preservation and climate goals for 2030. While the 2023 government implemented measures to improve land allocation and protect public forests, impending National Congress bills threaten to undermine these efforts, perpetuating land grabbing and forest loss.
Event: World Bank Land Conference 2024 - Washington
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