Brazil in the Global Forest Governance: the Brazilian Initiative of Developing a National Strategy on REDD+ Policies

Abstract

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) is now a significant piece of the international climate agreement. This present dissertation aims to investigate the overall framework of REDD+ development as a national strategy in Brazil. Moreover, it focuses on identifying the major challenges and policy constraints of this development design process. A further aim is at the end of the research to proffer pathways for improvement of domestic forest governance in Brazil. Using the sustainable forest landscape governance approach as the overarching conceptual for an effective REDD+ implementation within the Brazilian context and, building on this analysis, the conclusions advance some considerations on what features should be prioritised in the development and establishment of the Brazilian REDD+ national strategy. This dissertation is a grounded theoretical analysis and is centered on the conception that although REDD+ is strongly treated by the Federal Government as an expansion of its actions with regard to sustainable development, by turning forests into an economic asset and strengthening institutions and laws, it is much more likely that Brazil can deal with the environmental challenges it has been facing.