Brazil Policy Center
The Brazil Policy Center combines rigorous economic, institutional, and legal analysis to identify areas for improving public policies and provides concrete recommendations on how to reconcile economic development with environmental conservation. CPI works closely with government agencies and civil society to chart paths for improvement. CPI’s Brazil Policy Center focuses on strategic areas, including Climate Law and Governance, Conservation, Energy, Financial Instruments, Infrastructure, and Sustainable Agriculture, and is based out the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio). CPI’s Brazil office is led by Juliano J. Assunção, professor in the Department of Economics at PUC-Rio.
Featured work
Publication
The Environmental Impacts of the Ferrogrão Railroad: an Ex-Ante Evaluation of Deforestation Risks
In this work, researchers from CPI/PUC-Rio show that the construction of the Ferrogrão railroad will induce farmers and ranchers located in the state of Mato Grosso to expand their production, increasing land demand. If no mitigation measures are implemented, this will lead to the clearing of about 2,043 square kilometers of native vegetation in almost forty municipalities of the state of Mato Grosso.
Publication
The Impacts of Rural Credit on Agricultural Outcomes and Land Use: An Analysis by Credit Lines, Producer Types and Credit Uses
In this work, Climate Policy Initiative (CPI/PUC-RIO) provides a detailed impact analysis of the Brazilian Rural Credit policy on agricultural production, land use and deforestation.
Publication
6 Peculiarities of Rural Credit in the Amazon: New Research Shows Credit Restrictions and Extensive Land Use in Agriculture
CPI/PUC-Rio highlights six specific standards and conditions of rural credit, providing evidence for public actions and policies for local development, the sustainability of agricultural production, and environmental conservation.
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Latest work
Publication
Protected Territories, Though Critical, are Not Enough to Slow Amazon Deforestation: Brazil Requires Coordinated and Targeted Conservation Policies
New work from CPI/PUC-Rio shows that protected territories shielded forests under their domain, but they also appear to have deflected deforestation to unprotected regions. The findings highlight the local effectiveness of these territories, and thereby support their use in protecting high-value areas. Yet, results also reinforce the importance of pursuing protection strategies in combination with integrated conservation policy efforts to reduce deforestation throughout the Amazon.
Publication
Como Melhorar a Eficiência no Setor de Ar-Condicionado? O Papel da Zona Franca de Manaus
O presente trabalho analisa a linha de produção dos aparelhos de ar no Brasil, no que tange particularmente à eficiência produtiva (EP) e à eficiência energética (EE).
Publication
Questions and Answers on Provisional Measure 910
Researchers from the CPI/PUC-Rio prepared 10 questions and answers to clarify what is at stake with Provisional Measure 910.
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Targeting Deforestation, Boosting Regeneration: Efforts to Combat Forest Clearings in the Amazon Promote Tropical Regrowth
New work from CPI/PUC-Rio shows that environmental monitoring and law enforcement exclusively aimed at reducing Amazon deforestation helped boost tropical regeneration. Results suggest that environmental and socio-economic gains from conservation policies may be larger than initially presumed. Today, it would be both timely and strategic for Brazil to incorporate the promotion and protection of tropical regeneration into its conservation policy agenda.
Publication
Does the Manaus Free Trade Zone Have an Impact on Industry Efficiency?
This study, carried out by researchers from the CPI/PUC-Rio, analyzes the impact of the Manaus Free Trade Zone (ZFM) on Brazilian industry, especifically productive efficiency and energy efficiency. The researchers note that the efficiency levels of the ZFM and Brazil are similar, that is, despite the high volume of tax breaks granted to the ZFM industries, there is no counterpart in terms of efficiency.
Publication
O Impacto do Crédito Rural na Agricultura Brasileira e no Meio Ambiente
Esta publicação apresenta um resumo dos resultados de uma pesquisa realizada pelo CPI/PUC-Rio sobre o papel do crédito rural no Brasil. Os analistas do CPI determinaram, pelo projeto INPUT, que o crédito rural tem impacto significativo no aumento da produtividade agropecuária e na melhoria do uso da terra. Os analistas concluem que a falta de recursos financeiros frequentemente limita as possibilidades de produção dos produtores rurais no Brasil. Um melhor acesso a crédito permite que os produtores tomem novas decisões que levam a maior produtividade.
Publication
Forest Degradation in the Brazilian Amazon: Public Policy Must Target Phenomenon Related to Deforestation
To enhance understanding of this phenomenon, researchers from CPI/PUC-Rio empirically characterized the dynamics of degradation and its relationship with clear-cut deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Publication
Improving Public Contracting Processes of Socio-Enviromental Studies for Brazil's Land Transportation Projects
In this report, researchers from CPI/PUC-Rio analyze in detail the public contracting process for EVTEA and EIAs for land transport infrastructure projects in the Amazon and reveal: a lack of transparency in the contracting process and a lack of criteria for selection, evaluation and approval of the studies.
