Sustainable Consumption Governance in the Amazon
Environmental Law Reporter News & Analysis, Forthcoming
9 Pages Posted: 18 Aug 2008 Last revised: 18 Dec 2013
Abstract
Tropical deforestation is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, estimated to contribute as much as a quarter of global emissions. In the Brazilian Amazon, the two most important drivers of deforestation have become cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, both increasingly export-driven. While this commodity-driven paradigm threatens to accelerate deforestation as producers expand their participation in international markets, it also provides an opportunity for sustainable consumption governance. This article characterizes the problem of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon; describes the sustainable consumption governance regimes that are emerging; and analyzes their likely impact on Amazonian deforestation. It argues that sustainable consumption governance initiatives in the Amazon have the potential to enhance compliance with strict but under-enforced Brazilian forestry laws and reduce deforestation.
Keywords: tropical deforestation, sustainable consumption, Brazilian Amazon, agricultural exports, cattle ranching, soybean production, biofuels, governance, climate change
JEL Classification: K32
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation