Exploiting Legal Reserve Compensation as a Mechanism for Unlawful Deforestation in the Brazilian Cerrado Biome, 2012–2022

Bruno Machado Carneiro, Osmar Abílio de Carvalho Junior (), Renato Fontes Guimarães, Balbino Antônio Evangelista and Osmar Luiz Ferreira de Carvalho
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Bruno Machado Carneiro: Public Ministry of the State of Tocantins, Palmas 77006-218, Brazil
Osmar Abílio de Carvalho Junior: Department of Geography, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
Renato Fontes Guimarães: Department of Geography, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
Balbino Antônio Evangelista: EMBRAPA Fisheries and Aquaculture, Palmas 77008-900, Tocantins, Brazil
Osmar Luiz Ferreira de Carvalho: Department of Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-23

Abstract: This research investigates the illegal Vegetation Suppression Authorization (VSA) for Legal Reserve Compensation (LRC) in Tocantins, Brazil, between 2012 and 2014. The VSA is a license issued by state environmental agencies that authorizes the removal or clearing of native vegetation. This infraction resulted from the state environmental agency’s mistaken interpretation of Resolution 07/2005 of the State Environmental Council and the Native Vegetation Protection Law, which operates nationally and takes precedence over state resolutions and laws. The study area focuses on eight municipalities contained in the Formoso, Pium, and Javaés river basins. The methodology examines irregular VSA-LRC cases through geospatial data analysis, multitemporal analysis using remote sensing data, and economic assessments in both the origin and destination areas of the compensatory reserve. The results showed that among the 217 VSA-LRC applications during the period, 93 had corresponding geospatial data, indicating that 57.1% of the geospatial data were missing. This discrepancy between the authorized area and the available geospatial information restricts the oversight capability of the regulatory agency. A decade-long deforestation analysis of VSA-LRCs using remote sensing data considered three phases: 2012–2014 (application and issuance of VSA-LRCs), 2015–2018 (operational issuance), and 2019–2022 (post-expiration of VSA-LRCs). The results revealed a total VSA-LRC area of 343.291 km 2 (34,329.10 ha), with 229.1169 km 2 (22,911.69 ha) of deforestation. Notably, 54.877 km 2 (5487.70 ha) of this deforestation occurred in 2019–2022, after the VSA-LRC had expired. The analysis of the LRC origin and destination areas demonstrates a unidirectional strategy, from economically more valuable areas to less valuable ones, according to land market dynamics. Therefore, this investigation concludes the need for greater administrative transparency, the development of a reliable geospatial data system for monitoring, and policy changes and actions to enhance environmental protection.

Keywords: Cerrado; land use; conservation; agriculture; ecosystem services; environmental law; illegality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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