Natural Resource Conservation
Ecosystems are a key element for the mitigation of climate change and worth trillions in the services they provide. However, regardless of their importance, their conservation and restoration have been funded almost exclusively by limited public or philanthropic funding.
CPI research assesses the conservation impact of public policy globally. We also work with private and public partners to test and design conservation models that are capable of meeting socio-economic needs while protecting and restoring natural or modified ecosystems.
Featured 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
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
Where Are We at Implementing the Forest Code? An X-Ray of the CAR and the PRA in Brazilian States – 2020 Edition
The report provides a detailed analysis of state regulations and identifies actions underway in the states. It highlights progress made to date and the strategies enacted by states that are farther
ahead, as well as key gaps and challenges, and opportunities to accelerate the implementation of the law.
Latest work
Publication
Brazil's Infrastructure Project Life Cycles: From Planning to Viability. Creation of a New Phase May Increase Project Quality
In this brief, researchers from CPI/PUC-Rio and Inter.B collaborated to analyze the instruments available for infrastructure planning – particularly those related to the land transport sector.
Publication
Indeks Desa Membangun Plus (IDM+): Enhancing Direct Incentives for Sustainable Land Use in Indonesian Villages
This paper proposes a two-part approach for a potentially sweeping, but relatively practical reform to encourage villages across Indonesia to adopt sustainable practices.
Publication
Ferrogrão: Weaknesses and Lessons Learned in Implementing a Sustainable Infrastructure Agenda
CPI/PUC-Rio has assessed Ferrogrão’s governance, planning, and environmental risks as a way to contribute to the ongoing debate on sustainable infrastructure policies and projects in the country. This executive summary presents three studies conducted over the last year, which: (i) analyze the robustness of Ferrogrão’s planning based on a set of structuring questions, which should be prepared in the pre-feasibility stage; (ii) evaluate the administrative rites and the governance of decision-making related to the project; and (iii) develop an innovative methodology to understand Ferrogrão’s area of influence and deforestation risk.
Publication
Landscape of Green Finance in India
Climate Policy Initiative’s Landscape of Green Finance in India presents the most comprehensive information on green investment flows in the country in FY 2017-FY 2018.
Publication
Brazil Needs to Monitor its Tropical Regeneration: Remote Monitoring System is Technologically Feasible, but Needs Public Policy Support
This paper offers recommendations on how to move forward in developing remote systems to monitor secondary vegetation.
Blog
Mapping climate finance to influence policy, plan investments, and measure progress
As climate change impacts grow ever more apparent, it becomes more urgent to stop carbon flowing into the atmosphere and increase resilience to rising threats. Much will depend on how and where finance flows. Countries are enacting plans for adapting to and mitigating climate change, so they need to know what money is available and — crucially — if any flows of finance are working against their climate objectives.
Publication
Brazil Knows What to Do to Fight Deforestation in the Amazon: Monitoring and Law Enforcement Work and Must be Strengthened
The present study, conducted by researchers at CPI/PUC-Rio, indicates that this monitoring system works. Results also suggest that forest protection did not interfere with local agricultural production, and that its expected benefits outweighed the associated policy costs.
Publication
Why is Protecting the Amazon Important?
This infographic developed by CPI/PUC-Rio research team shows that protecting the Amazon is important for economic growth
