Controls on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon: Explaining past success actions, new challenges and recommendations

ABSTRACT This paper reviews important processes that drive deforestation and its control in the Brazilian Amazon. Governmental programs decreased the rate of deforestation in the Amazon by 70% from 2004 to 2015. This large reduction was the result of the Action Plan to Prevent and Control Deforestation in Legal Amazonia (PPCDAm) - a task force having the ‘Arc of Deforestation’ as target. During the PPCDAm’s course, the creation of protected areas (PAs), punishment for illegal deforestation, and a soy moratorium were among the most important measures to reduce deforestation rates. Brazil’s 2020 end goal, which was not reached, was to reduce the rate to 80% in relation to the 1996-2005 average. The current goal is to have no (0%) illegal deforestation through 2030. Our review shows both beneficial environmental policies that helped to reduce deforestation, e.g. soy and cattle moratoriums and creation of PAs, as well as threats to Brazil’s Amazon Forest which came from anti-environmental policies between 2014-2022. Considering the main drivers of deforestation so far, we suggest that Brazil can reach the 2030 goal of zero illegal deforestation through (i) the creation and inspection of PAs to avoid illegal logging, (ii) maintenance and strengthening the soy moratorium, (iii) an improved law enforcement related to illegal deforestation, and (iv) a stronger forest concession system.