Tropical deforestation: current trends and potential sustainable policies

Domenico Gaudioso - ISPRA, Dipartimento Stato dell’Ambiente e Metrologia Ambientale, Servizio Monitoraggio e Prevenzione degli Impatti sull’Atmosfera, Roma; Alessandra Magni - Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Alberto Luiz Coimbra de Pós-Graduação e Pesquisa de Engenharia, Programa de Planejamento Energético, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

On the basis of the most recent data concerning the extent of tropical deforestation and its implications for the terrestrial carbon budget, the paper describes the main drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in tropical regions. Although several studies indicate that it has no direct relationship with deforestation in the current situation (in particular as regards sugar cane cultivation in Brazil), production of biofuels (biodiesel, ethanol) through cultivation of energy crops, may represent a serious concern in the coming years, due to projected increases in the demand of biodiesel and ethanol. In order to limit the environmental and social impacts of such productions, both legal restrictions and market instruments have been used: certification systems are expected to play a major role in the future, in connection with sustainability criteria. Finally, current efforts under the UNFCCC to reach a global agreement on reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation may represent an important contribution to efforts already in place, provided that policy tools take into account the diverse national circumstances faced by forest-rich developing countries seeking to reduce their emissions.