Implementing Brazil’s Forest Code: a vital contribution to securing forests and conserving biodiversity

• DOI: 10.1007/s10531-021-02159-x
• Publication Date: 2021-04-03T07:02:52Z
• Authors: Rebecca Catherine...; Andy Arnell; Will Simonson; Aline C. Soterroni; Aline Mosnier; Fernando Ramos; Alexandre Xavier ...; Gilberto Camara; Johannes Pirker; Michael Obersteiner; Valerie Kapos
• Keywords: Deforestation

Abstract Meeting Brazil’s ambitious national commitments on both climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation depends securing its reserves of forest carbon biodiversity. ‘Forest Code’ is a key tool to reconcile environmental preservation agricultural production; it limits deforestation requires restoration in illegally deforested areas. However, not all provisions the law’s 2012 revision have yet been implemented some are facing new challenges. Using modelled land use projections for whole country, we show that full implementation enforcement law has potential contribute conserving Biodiversity outcomes will be especially positive if (i) areas restored ways support recolonization by native species (ii) additional measures protect vegetation like Caatinga dry forests Cerrado savannas, which may experience added pressure displaced from other regions Forest Code implementation.