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Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and EPD-like demands have been gaining importance, particularly due to the release of Product Environmental Footprint by the European Union (EU). EPDs could be demanded in international trade, potentially creating a technical trade barrier for emerging economy countries. Thus, those countries should evaluate their readiness to successfully meet this demand. In this sense, this paper aims to analyse and propose strategies for EPD promotion in Brazil. Brazil's situation regarding life cycle assessment (LCA) and EPD development was analysed considering its business, academic, public policy and consumers contexts. In addition, an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) was elaborated based on interviews with EPD stakeholders in the country. These allowed some strategies to be proposed considering the principle of connecting strengths and opportunities, compensating for weaknesses and neutralizing threats. The results showed that Brazil has a technical and institutional context that enables EPD growth due to the initial stage of LCA database, EPD programs, stakeholders' engagement, and availability of experts. However, in general, these aspects aren't in an adequate level for successful EPD promotion. There is still a large path for EPD understanding and life cycle data availability. Besides, financial and technical restriction, especially considering small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), present structural barriers. Nevertheless, by promoting EPD, Brazil could have gains in terms of credibility, access to global markets and environmental awareness. The opposite could happen if the country doesn't seize these opportunities. Furthermore, to influence Product Category Rule (PCR) definitions was said to be a key opportunity to avoid rules that disregard Brazilian singularities. Strategies for EPD promotion should focus on sensitizing and engaging different stakeholders in strategic sectors (civil construction, paper and pulp, coffee, ingredients derived from soya and livestock), enhancing technical capacities and life cycle data generation, and strengthening EPD programs to boost the Brazilian internal market and PCR development. Brazilian institutions should be encouraged to follow international discussions on EPD and internalize them, fostering sustainable production and consumption in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper aims to study the process of intergenerational income mobility in some Latin American economies (Brazil and Panama), which have been much neglected in the relevant literature. • Our rich and detailed dataset (the IPUMS survey) allows us to provide the most reliable estimates of intergenerational mobility, after controlling for a number of additional control variables which were unavailable in previous studies, such as family size, literacy level of fathers, and location in rural versus urban areas. • In the present study, we can also eliminate co-residence and young adults' problems which are widely discussed in the current literature. This allows us avoiding complex and problematic methodologies to predict the incomes of parents for the non-co-residing children from the co-residing children. • A major advantage of our paper as compared to the previous literature, considering that the instrumental variables typically used for this methodology do not fully satisfy the exclusion restriction. • We show that behind social immobility there is also a sluggish process of structural change and an insufficiently progressive tax system. This paper aims to study the process of intergenerational income mobility in some Latin American economies (Brazil and Panama), which have been much neglected in the relevant literature. Like other countries in the area, Brazil and Panama have a stagnant economy coupled with high income inequality. Our rich dataset allows us to provide the most reliable estimates of intergenerational mobility, after controlling for a number of additional control variables which were unavailable in previous studies. We provide estimates broken down for different genders, age groups, locations, education of fathers. Our results are robust to different specifications and suggest that previous studies significantly overrated the extent of the intergenerational mobility in the countries considered. However, our figures are still compatible with an extremely low degree of social mobility. Moreover, we show that behind social immobility there is also a sluggish process of structural change and an insufficiently progressive tax system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impacts of emergency cash-transfers on individuals' social distancing behaviour and beliefs about COVID-19. We focus on the impacts of "Auxilio Emergencial" (AE): a large-scale cash-transfer in Brazil targeting low-income individuals who were unemployed or informally employed during the pandemic. To identify causal effects we exploit exogenous variation, arising from the AE design, in individuals' access to the cash-transfer programme. Using data from an online survey, our results suggest that eligibility to the emergency cash transfer led to a reduced likelihood of individuals contracting COVID-19, likely to have been driven by a reduction in working hours. Moreover, the cash transfer seems to have increased perceptions about the seriousness of coronavirus, while also exacerbating misconceptions about the pandemic. These findings indicate effects of emergency cash-transfers in determining individuals' narratives about a pandemic, in enabling social distancing and potentially in reducing the spread of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Brazilian economy's lack of dynamism has coincided with China's rise as a global powerhouse. • This is why we have evaluated if an increase in China´s market share in a third country's market is associated with an increase or a decrease of Brazil´s market share. • Our results suggest that Chinese manufacturing exports directly displaced Brazilian exports. • The Real's appreciation in the 2000s was an indirect transmission channel. This paper analyses the relationship between Brazil´s regressive specialisation and China´s increased international competitiveness. The Brazilian economy's lack of dynamism and competitiveness in global markets, particularly when it comes to the production and exportation of manufactured goods, has coincided with China's rise as a global powerhouse. This is why we have considered whether an increase in China´s market share in a third country's market is associated with an increase or decrease in Brazil´s market share. To test this relationship, we applied a generalised method of moments (IV-GMM) in a panel data framework. Our main results suggests that: (i) China´s market share increases were associated with decreases in Brazil´s share; and (ii) the effect of Chinas´ market share can change according to the size of the partner's economy. Finally, we have explored the implications of our findings considering Keynesian and structuralist theories, which highlight the importance of the manufacturing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the potential implications of the proposed European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the recently adopted United Kingdom (UK) legislation on deforestation-free supply chains (henceforth 'the legislation') for different stakeholders in Brazil. These regulations intend to address global commodity-driven deforestation and forest degradation by ensuring that targeted commodities and products placed on (or exported from) markets are of minimal risk of being associated with - in the EU - deforestation and forest degradation or - in the UK - illegal deforestation. The paper examines potential compliance readiness in cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soybean and tropical timber supply chains in Brazil, indicating specific challenges that may arise. Through the construction of a "Compliance Likelihood Index", our research provides comparable indications to policymakers on sectors and stakeholders that may need stronger support to meet the requirements, in order to maintain Brazil's access to EU and UK markets. The paper indicates that coffee is the sector with the highest level of incentivization and smallest hurdles for compliance, while the cattle sector may face stronger challenges to rapidly adjust its production system towards a deforestation-free value chain and prove compliance. Results of our analysis also highlight the need for collaboration between the EU/UK and Brazil in order to promote alignment between domestic and demand-side legislations so that they are mutually reinforcing. Results of this exercise, which has a focus on the producer-country view of demand-side legislation, will contribute to discussions on the merits of different approaches to strengthen the governance of deforestation-risk commodity trade. [Display omitted] • Brazil's coffee sector may currently have the greatest likelihood of ready compliance. • Cattle may be the sector to which the regulations may pose the greatest challenges. • The EU and UK should focus on providing financial means and technical assistance for smallholders. • The EU and UK legislation will need to be accompanied by domestic policies and regulations in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper explored the effect of renewable energy, financial development, and technological innovation on the ecological footprint in Brazil using a yearly dataset stretching between 1990 and 2018. The research leverage dynamic autoregressive distributed lag, Bayern and Hank cointegration, and frequency domain causality to explore these interrelationships. The ARDL bounds test outcome confirms a long-run connection between ecological footprint and its drivers. Besides, we employed the Bayern and Hank cointegration, and the outcome resonated with the ARDL bounds test result. Moreover, the dynamic ARDL outcomes disclosed that economic progress worsens the ecosystem whilst renewable energy, trade globalization, and technological innovation lessen the ecological footprint. In addition, no significant interrelationship was found between financial development and ecological footprint. Moreover, with the exemption of financial development, all the exogenous variables can forecast the ecological footprint in Brazil. The study proposes that policymakers in Brazil should undertake investments in research and development in order to achieve technological innovation. Furthermore, since technological innovation has been shown to contribute significantly to lowering the ecological footprint, it is possible to assume that enhancing current technology is the ultimate remedy to Brazil's ecological problems. • Dynamic ARDL applied to Brazil's time series data. • Renewable energy and Technology innovation improve environmental quality. • Trade and globalization also reduce Ecological Footprints (EF). • Economic Growth contributes to higher EF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is a case of the achievement of a high share of wind energy integration to an interconnected power system in an emerging market. A series of successful energy supply programmes and a strong renewable-oriented finance framework implemented since 2002, have promoted alternative renewables – wind installed capacity increased over 22-fold from 927 MW in 2011 to 21 GW in 2022, reaching 11.77% of total procured power. From this, about 90% are concentrated in Brazil's least developed region, the Northeast, where wind investment should create jobs and propel socioeconomic development. Despite that, there is no studies specific assessing the regional and economy-wide effects of those programmes, gap that this paper aims to fill by applying the regional Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model TERM-BR10. We assess that by modelling an alternative scenario for the period 2010-19 based on an official electricity matrix built in 2010, that projected 3.4 additional GW of wind power while not considering all the success of renewable policies, against the observed installed capacity expansion, where wind power was 3.7 times higher than what had been planned. Our results show that in the absence of renewable policies, Brazil would have faced economic losses such as GDP (−0.27%) and investment (−4.76%). The Northeast region would have been the most impacted in terms of GDP (−1.3%), real wage (−2.99%) and employment creation (−0.1%). We propose that such socioeconomic co-benefits are incorporated in energy planning, which could promote regional equality through renewable energy expansion. • Wind power capacity increased over 20-fold from 2011 to 2022. • 90% are in the poorest region where policies propel development and job creation. • Policy absence would entail a GDP loss of 0.27% nationally and of 1.3% in the region. • Negative impacts to labour market are mostly over skilled jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The Bolsonaro administration and its class allies used the pandemic as a political opportunity and the state as a tool to advance dispossessions. • Dispossessions such as debt interest payments or privatizations simply redistribute surpluses or means of production, with no impact on capital expansion. • Dispossessions of peasants or indigenous people from lands and forests expand capital by turning their means of subsistence into means of capitalist production. • The transfer to for-profit companies of public services, facilities, or spaces turns means of subsistence into commodities and thus expands capital. • Capitalization, commodification, or the termination of contemporary commons reduce means of subsistence and thus increase the availability of exploitable labor-power. In 2020–2021 Brazil simultaneously experienced the far-right presidency of Jair Bolsonaro and the world's largest health crisis in a century. The Covid-19 pandemic struck the country deeply, killing about 690 thousand people by late 2022. They were also years of increased pressure by capital on peasants and indigenous people, targets of the violence with which capital, ever since its dawn, has wielded to advance over spaces that serve the subsistence of immediate producers. In this period, the Brazilian state continued to comply with decades-old demands from neoliberal ideology for privatizations and the dismantling of protections for workers and the poor in general. These phenomena, when articulated by theory inspired by the Marxian concept of primitive accumulation, suggest that the Bolsonaro administration and its class allies used the pandemic as a political opportunity for dispossessing policies. The article discusses this based on concepts that distinguish dispossessions that serve capital expansion from those that do not. The first group includes processes that lead to proletarianization of immediate producers in addition to the capitalization or commodification of hitherto means of subsistence. Among dispossessions that do not expand capital are those that involve the simple redistribution of surpluses or means of production. The paper contributes to the literature on dispossession by analyzing concrete manifestations of it, drawing on a conceptual framework that distinguishes dispossession types that have been conflated in much current research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a comment on the paper "Spatio-temporal analysis of shoreline changes and future forecast using remote sensing, GIS and Kalman filter model: A case study of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil". Results obtained by Palanisamy et al. (2023) differ from other works on the coastline of Rio de Janeiro. Images from the Landsat 1–3 Multispectral Scanner (MSS) satellite and Landsat 5–9 images were inappropriately used in the detailing to delimit the shoreline variations. The lack of information about tides and waves at the time of image acquisition compromised the research results. Oceanographic - meteorological data relating to the month, day and time of the satellite's passage are fundamental in studies of this nature. These forcings are capable of temporarily modifying the morphology and position of coastline. The article proposed by Palanisamy et al. (2023) underestimated the rates of accretion and coastal erosion along the coastline of Rio de Janeiro city by neglecting the issues addressed here. • Results obtained by Palanisamy et al. (2023)on the shoreline variations in Rio de Janeiro city are questioned here. • Methodological procedures used to delimit the historical shoreline variations of Rio de Janeiro city presented inconsistencies. • Results obtained by Palanisamy et al. (2023) on the shoreline of Rio de Janeiro city are incompatibles with other work carried out in the study area. • Comments presented here aim to contribute to the evolution of knowledge about the coastal erosion process (geological hazard) on the shoreline of Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has increased the frequency of extreme weather events and, consequently, the number of occurrences of natural disasters. In Brazil, among these disasters, floods, flash floods, and landslides account for the highest number of deaths, the latter being the most lethal. Bearing in mind the importance of monitoring areas susceptible to disasters, the REMADEN/REDEGEO project of the National Center for Monitoring and Natural Disaster Alerts (Cemaden) has promoted the installation of a network of soil moisture sensors in regions with a long history of landslides. This network was used in the present paper as a base to develop a system for moisture forecasting in those critical zones. The time series of rainfall and moisture were used in an inversion algorithm to obtain the geotechnical parameters of the soil. Then the geotechnical model was used in a forward calculation with the rainfall prediction to obtain the soil moisture forecast. The landslide events of March 2020 and May 2022 in Guarujá and Recife, respectively, were used as study cases for the developed system. The obtained results indicate that the proposed methodology has the potential to be used as an important tool in the decision-making process for issuing landslide alerts. • This paper presents a novel system aimed at predicting soil moisture conditions based on rainfall forecast data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several developing countries have implemented programs to support rural families, but there is still a lack of evidence on their effectiveness. This paper seeks to address the existing gap by analyzing the impact of the Second Water Cisterns Program (SWCP) on the income of Brazilian family farmers. The policy intervention consists of a social technology that harvests rainwater for use in agriculture. We combined data from family farmers with administrative data from the program, identifying the participation status of each farmer. Using the Differences in Differences strategy and exploring the time when the farms received the cistern over the period from 2007 to 2016, our results show that the SWCP has a positive impact on the income of rural farms, causing an increase of 5.9%. Heterogeneous effects indicate a greater magnitude of impact among low-income and smaller family farmers. Moreover, the effect is more pronounced for farmers in municipalities with a lower share of agriculture in the total economy as well as for farmers in municipalities with lower rainfall. Our findings highlight the importance of production and productivity as a potential mechanism for raising the income level of rural farmers, with the impact concentrating on low-income family farmers. Based on the cost–benefit analysis, each Brazilian Real invested in SWCP generates an average return of approximately BRL 0.11. These findings suggest that the provision of low-cost social technologies to families in rural areas may be an important mechanism for local economic development. • We estimated the impact of the Second Water Cisterns Program on the income of Brazilian family farmers. • We show that the program has a positive impact on the income of rural farms. • The positive effect on income is larger for low-income and smaller family farmers. • Production and productivity serves as a potential mechanism to increase the income of rural farmers. • The provision of low-cost social technologies is an important mechanism for the development of local economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental degradation and economic development are two of the most pressing issues facing the world today, and public policy that aims to address one of these may unintentionally affect the other. I study the effect of an increase in environmental law enforcement on local economic conditions in rural Brazil. In the first part of this paper, I use data on more targeted anti-deforestation law enforcement activities, guided by satellite alerts, and link that to local forest conversion. I then exploit the staggered introduction of a policy that increases monitoring and enforcement in municipalities with a history of high deforestation, and link this to a range of economic development outcomes. I find that more targeted law enforcement reduces conversion rates of forest to farm land. Furthermore, economic conditions in municipalities with stricter monitoring improve, indicating that environmental enforcement and economic development need not be at odds. • Targeted law enforcement in Amazon Biome of Brazil reduces deforestation. • Economic conditions in municipalities with stricter deforestation-monitoring improve. • GDP per capita is higher, and number of recipients of income support lower in targeted municipalities. • Environmental enforcement and economic development need not be at odds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate the supply chain and reverse channels of expanded polystyrene packaging connection in Brazil and their roles to discuss the main challenges towards circular economy. In order to achieve this goal, we propose a four-step method, anchored in the literature, technical visits, and interviews with experts in the expanded polystyrene (EPS) industry. First, the EPS supply chain was characterised and mapped, and secondly, the stakeholders and logistics activities in reverse channels were analysed. Third, the Brazilian legislation and chain structure was reviewed to obtain an understanding of how this can influence the activities developed in reverse channels. Fourth, with an analysis of the data collected before, the barriers to implement EPS reverse chain were presented. The main results establish that the EPS can complete one cycle of the circular economy, which is recycling, but products need to be separated and washed. The most significant waste generators are public and private institutions, residences, and retailers. Notable barriers to its recycling are a lack of understanding of the nature of expanded polystyrene recycling by Brazilian people, high transport cost due to material density, and the dispersion of post-consumer expanded polystyrene in several regions of the country linked with the small number of recycling facilities. Finally, this issue could be explored in industries and companies that require their managers to adopt strategies to improve reverse logistics in order to promote the circular economy. The companies' actions could facilitate a stronger circular supply chain since they could increase recycling efforts, reduce expanded polystyrene waste, and present new business models. The resulting generation of employment would contribute to the quality of life of contemporary society. The findings presented in the paper enable industries to identify and guide the most demanding significant steps and processes, and to shift the reverse chain and expanded polystyrene recycling to ensure that they operate more efficiently. • Reverse logistics as the first step towards circular supply chain. • The paper maps the expanded polystyrene packaging supply chain and its reverse logistics. • This paper presents the barriers that hinder the reverse logistics in Brazil. • The main challenges are related to the consumers and the recycling industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Physical therapists from dermatology report having knowledge to be able to implement EBP. • Physical therapists from dermatology believe having skills to be able to implement EBP. • There were inconsistencies on some answers about knowledge and skills related to EBP. Dermatology is a relatively new subdiscipline of physical therapy with growth potential. Therefore, it is important to identify whether professionals from this area have the knowledge and skills required to offer the best available service based on evidence-based practice. To describe the self-reported behavior, knowledge, skills, opinion, and barriers related to the evidence-based practice of Brazilian physical therapists from the dermatology subdiscipline. An adapted electronic questionnaire was sent by the Brazilian Association of Dermatology Physical Therapy via email to all registered members. The data were analyzed descriptively. The response rate was 40.4% (101/250). Brazilian physical therapists from the dermatology subdiscipline reported that they update themselves equally through scientific papers and courses, and access preferentially databases that offer scientific papers in the Portuguese language. Respondents believe they have sufficient knowledge to use evidence-based practice, inform patients about treatment options and consider their choices in the decision-making process. However, there were inconsistencies in responses regarding the experience with evidence-based practice during undergraduate or postgraduate degree, as well as having discussions about evidence-based practice in the workplace. The barriers most frequently reported were difficulty to obtain full-text papers, lack of quality of the scientific papers, applicability of the findings into clinical practice, lack of evidence-based practice training and difficulty to understand the statistics. Brazilian physical therapists from the dermatology subdiscipline have positive perceived behavior, believe that they have sufficient knowledge and skills, and have favorable opinion related to evidence-based practice. However, there are inconsistencies related to some aspects of knowledge and skills set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper simulates hypothetical student loan schemes for Brazil. • Designs are assessed in terms of affordability for graduates and size of subsidies. • A copula approach is applied to simulate dynamic earnings paths for graduates. • ICL with surcharge, limited concessions and progressive repayment rates is favoured. • A nationwide ICL is technically and institutionally feasible in Brazil. This paper simulates student loan schemes for Brazil. A copula approach is applied to simulate dynamic earnings paths for graduates. Repayment patterns are then simulated for time-based and income-contingent loan designs. The results show that the Brazilian time-based scheme involved unsustainable repayment burdens for many graduates and contributed to the scheme's high default rates. We also show that the new income-contingent scheme is also likely to involve high taxpayer subsidies. We consider alternative designs with different strengths and weaknesses but favour an income-contingent scheme with a loan fee, repayment rates at 50% of current income tax rates and an interest rate at the government's cost of borrowing upon graduation and above initial tax threshold. We conclude by emphasising that full involvement of the federal revenue system is more desirable than the present approach of employer withholding. This would increase the earnings base and reduce costs, which is important for Brazil's current precarious fiscal situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates whether the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Bolsa Família improves test scores performance of beneficiary pupils compared to similar disadvantaged pupils who are non-beneficiaries of the program. Prova Brasil (Brazil Exam), Censo Escolar (School Census), and the Attendance System (Sistema Presença) of 2011 are used to answer this question in a Propensity Score Matching design. We find a significant positive association of the Bolsa Família program on test scores in language and mathematics, but the effect is very small: between 2 and 3 of a standard deviation. We also find small heterogeneous effects by region as beneficiary pupils from the richer regions of southeast and south perform, on average, 1 of a standard deviation higher than beneficiary pupils from the poorer north and northeast. This paper extends the scarce literature on the impact of CCTs on test scores performance in the developing world. • The Bolsa Família program has a small significant positive association on test scores performance of beneficiary pupils. • Beneficiary pupils from richer regions perform slightly higher than beneficiary pupils from poorer regions • This article shows the importance of accounting for sample bias to assess the potential effects of social protection programs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social distancing has been adopted as a strategy to contain the advance of the pandemic until specific solutions to combat the virus are available. Many economic sectors and social activities need to continue despite the viruses, and most social distancing policies disregard individual choices, resulting in greater or lesser adherence to isolation. In this paper, we characterize the differentiation of access to essential activities within Brazilian cities during social distancing and the intention to maintain behavior changes concerning these activities in the post-pandemic period. The results showed that the behavior regarding essential activities during the pandemic is not independent of variables associated with pre-pandemic travel patterns, isolation conditions, and socioeconomic factors. Post-pandemic intention proved to be statistically dependent on factors associated with the activities' characteristics and experiences during the pandemic. Accessibility-oriented planning can guide urban and transportation policies more equitably through the identification of the most affected groups by activity disruption. At the same time, the incorporation of new routines less dependent on displacement offers opportunities to review public space. [Display omitted] • Less schooling, self-employed or less frequent commuters changed less work routine. • Young, less schooling or low-income people maintained educational and purchase trips. • Higher schooling people have more chances to keep essential tasks without traveling. • Public transport users had fewer opportunities to switch from routine to purchasing. • Post-pandemic intention is statistically dependent on activities' characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Brazil and Russia become hotspots of the COVID-19, and they suffer from high increase of the daily confirmed cases. • Proposed an Artificial intelligence based forecasting model to forecast the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Brazil and Russia. • Enhancing the performance of the ANFIS using an improved marine predators algorithm (MPA), called chaotic MPA (CMPA). • Compare the proposed CMPA-ANFIS model to three models, the original ANFIS, PSO-ANFIS, and the original MPA-ANFIS. COVID-19 is a new member of the Coronaviridae family that has serious effects on respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological systems. COVID-19 spreads quickly worldwide and affects more than 41.5 million persons (till 23 October 2020). It has a high hazard to the safety and health of people all over the world. COVID-19 has been declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Therefore, strict special policies and plans should be made to face this pandemic. Forecasting COVID-19 cases in hotspot regions is a critical issue, as it helps the policymakers to develop their future plans. In this paper, we propose a new short term forecasting model using an enhanced version of the adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). An improved marine predators algorithm (MPA), called chaotic MPA (CMPA), is applied to enhance the ANFIS and to avoid its shortcomings. More so, we compared the proposed CMPA with three artificial intelligence-based models include the original ANFIS, and two modified versions of ANFIS model using both of the original marine predators algorithm (MPA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO). The forecasting accuracy of the models was compared using different statistical assessment criteria. CMPA significantly outperformed all other investigated models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Discussions in geography and cognate disciplines have considered how contemporary formations of power and politics support and give rise to violence in a range of contexts. Often, these discussions have invoked Foucault's and Agamben's analyses of sovereignty as well as governmentality to show how violence is legitimized by state and non-state actors. Focusing on the Brazilian context, the paper argues that this strand of research, though opening up productive analytic pathways, has largely eclipsed a set of powerful technologies that are structured around dependencies. Such issues of dependency have been particularly pronounced in writings that have proposed an 'embedded' approach to violence in Latin American urban contexts. Importantly, whereas Foucault- and Agamben-inspired writings have focused largely on how violence is justified and legitimized, studies emphasizing its embeddedness have brought into relief how violence is concealed and removed from systems of accountability. To describe the dependencies enabling such concealment, though, studies of embedded violence have often relied on the notion of 'political clientelism'. Interrogating the epistemological assumptions associated with this notion, the paper suggests re-framing relations of dependency as constituted through situated technologies that operate, for instance, through performances of benevolence, racialized and gendered discourses or practices of concealment. This, it is argued, opens the view towards other combinations of power than those of sovereignty, discipline and biopolitics that have commonly been focused in the wake of Agamben and Foucault. Highlights • Considers power relations that enable the concealment of violence. • Challenges the focus on structures of legitimation in Agamben-inspired discussions. • Discusses the relations between violence and dependency. • Introduces the notion of 'technologies of dependency' to Foucauldian analyses of power. • Re-considers the notion of 'clientelism' in relation to the study of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Wood falls provide locally and temporally restricted inputs of organic material to the deep sea supporting heterotrophic and chemotrophic fauna. These habitats also play a significant role in the diversity, abundance, and evolution of deep-sea macrofauna. Despite the importance of wood falls to the global deep-sea biodiversity, there is a large gap in understanding these patterns in the South Atlantic, and especially along formerly densely forested continental margins. In this paper, we assessed bathymetric variations in macrofaunal community structures and the biodiversity of wood falls. We deployed experimental wood logs at 1500 m and at 3300 m at six stations along the South-eastern Brazilian continental margin between 21 and 28°S. In total, 13,803 individuals belonging to 44 taxa were identified, displaying local and bathymetrical differences in assemblage abundance, biomass, and diversity. Wood-boring bivalves (Xylophagidae) were the dominant taxa in mid-slope stations (1500 m), whereas polychaetes and gastropods dominated the abyssal stations (3300 m). Total macrofaunal biomass (wet weight) was markedly higher in all mid-slope stations (Avr = 0.0053 g cm-3) compared to abyssal stations (Avr = 0.0001 g cm-3). Rarefaction diversity (ES) revealed that abyssal wood falls at Espírito Santo (ES_3300) and São Paulo (SP_3300) respectively had the highest and lowest diversity among all the stations (LC95%, P < 0.05). Wood-fall macrofauna taxa composition was distinct in terms of depth (not significant) and among stations (significant), with xylophagid bivalves and polychaetes (Strepternos didymopyton and Pleijelius cf. longae) mainly responsible for these patterns. We found similar species of bivalves (Xyloredo nooi and Spiniapex gilsonorum) and polychaetes (Strepternos didymopyton) previously reported from the North-west Atlantic and North-east Pacific. Our experiment thus supports the idea that some wood-fall species might have wide distribution ranges. Since our wood logs were all the same size, our data supports the hypothesis that niche dynamics are the most important factor controlling the (beta) diversity of bathyal and abyssal wood-fall assemblages in the South-west Atlantic. Highlights • Wood-fall experiments in the SW Atlantic deep sea showed high diversity and widely distributed wood-fall fauna. • Wood-fall fauna were dominated by wood-boring bivalves (1500 m) and polychaetes gastropods (3300 m). • Macrofaunal communities were significantly different along SE Brazilian margins between 21S and 28S. • Macrofaunal communities were not significantly different between the bathyal and abyssal zones. • Niche dynamics probably control the beta diversity of deep wood-fall assemblages in SE Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • First assessment of sustainable development achievements of Brazilian CDM projects. • Four project types are analyzed: hydro, biomass energy, landfill gas and methane avoidance. • CDM project types have stimulated local income and labor opportunities. • Only CDM hydro projects have contributed to reduce poverty at the local level. Abstract The goal of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is both emission reduction and sustainable development, but while emission reductions generate revenues for the project developer, no such benefit results from the achievement of sustainable development. The objective of this research is therefore to analyze to which extent CDM investments have led to sustainable development benefits, and whether there is a difference in these effects between renewable energy and waste handling and disposal projects. Complementary to existing studies, which are based on potential effects reported ex-ante by project developers, this paper aims at quantifying impacts of CDM projects on sustainable development based on empirical data. Using data for years 2000 (pre-CDM) and 2010 (post-CDM) for Brazilian municipalities, this paper combines difference-in-differences assessment with matching techniques to identify the effect of CDM investments on development and poverty indicators by distinguishing for four project's types: hydro, biomass energy, landfill gas and methane avoidance. Results show that CDM project types have stimulated local income and labor opportunities but only hydro projects have contributed to reduce poverty at the municipal level for the period analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several scientific expeditions surveyed the ocean during the 19th century, gathering a wealth of interdisciplinary data as well as samples of different kinds. The latter are currently held by museums worldwide, and are the subject of study in different sciences, offering a unique opportunity to access information which is not readily available elsewhere. This is the case for research involving the offset in 14C (or radiocarbon) activity between the ocean and the atmosphere, termed the Marine Reservoir Effect (MRE), which is responsible for apparent 14C ages in marine material. The quantification of this discrepancy is crucial for the 14C dating tool since corrections must be applied for the accurate calibration of marine 14C ages. Nevertheless, the difficulty of finding suitable material for assessing the MRE contributes to the current scenario of scarce and patchy data. Here we propose the use of samples collected during well-documented 19th-century scientific expeditions in order to overcome the lack of information that prevents the use of many museum specimens in MRE studies. Approximately 60 mollusk shells and a sea urchin, collected from the coast of Brazil, were analysed for their radiocarbon age, δ 13C and δ 18O. The MRE is variable, with considerably high values occurring at specific spots along the shoreline. The data indicate a rather large area of upwelling influence on the southeastern coast of Brazil and possible dissolution of 14C-free limestone in the northeast. The results shed light on processes affecting the 14C concentration of Brazilian coastal waters, bearing implications for palaeoenvironmental and archaeological studies performed in the region. Moreover, the data generated in this study will be useful for the validation of 14C simulations in numerical models. Finally, this paper offers a discussion of the importance of natural history collections which looks beyond the preservation of our biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year, Brazil grapples with the destructive impact of landslides, typically during the summer season. The National Centre for Monitoring and Alerts of Natural Disasters (Cemaden) places significant emphasis on studying these phenomena to understand their processes and causes more deeply. One key challenge faced in this endeavour is the procurement of geotechnical properties of the soil in high-risk areas, with soil moisture being a crucial factor. Collecting point samples for acquiring these geotechnical parameters is not only costly but also limited in providing a comprehensive two-dimensional or three-dimensional coverage. Therefore, the primary aim of the proposed project is to validate the method of acquiring soil moisture data through geophysical surveys in both 2D and 3D scenarios. Data was gathered from soil moisture stations within Cemaden's network and various collected samples to confirm the results. To generate more controlled yet realistic conditions, a sequence of field infiltration experiments was conducted. The findings, related to the ability of the geoelectric method to define soil moisture, derived from this project form an invaluable foundation for future investigations spearheaded by the Geodynamics Group and its collaborating institutions. • This paper presents a series of experiments to understand the method of acquiring soil moisture through the DC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Deforestation-induced rainfall changes negatively impact soybean and maize yields in Brazil. • Soybean and maize yields could have been 6.6 % and 9.9 % higher per year if rainfall patterns hadn't been altered by deforestation. • Agricultural efficiency improvements insufficient to counteract rainfall-changes effects on yields. • Study underscores the vital role of forest preservation for agricultural resilience and food security. • Forests' critical role in regulating the water cycle highlighted in the face of climate change. Whereas the global demand for food, fiber and energy is increasing, the capacity of ecosystems services to sustain agricultural production is being compromised worldwide. Brazil is a global food supplier that has benefitted from agricultural intensification in the past decades. At the same time, expansion of cropland has led to deforestation that, in turn, is increasingly affecting rainfall patterns thereby influencing crop yields. This study examines how loss in forest cover has impacted agricultural yields through change in rainfall. To do so, we use modelled data on changes in rainfall patterns due to deforestation as input to a crop model. We assess yield changes within the soybean-maize double cropping system, the country's most relevant agricultural system, in five states within the Amazon and Cerrado biomes. Findings revealed that soybean and maize yields would have been respectively 6.6 % and 9.9 % higher per year in the last decade if rainfall patterns hadn't been altered by deforestation from 1982 onwards. Although agricultural efficiency improved between 2011 and 2020, it was insufficient to offset the negative effect of altered rainfall on yields. Our paper reveals the link between deforestation and crop yields, emphasizing the need to preserve forest cover for agricultural resilience and food security. It reinforces the critical role of forests in regulating the water cycle, particularly in the face of climate change-induced warmer and drier conditions that can impact agricultural production and other human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the closure of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the education available to students depended heavily on home and family conditions and structure. This paper analyses the relationship between access to technology, demographic characteristics, and learning opportunities during the pandemic in Brazil in 2020. It uses logistic and ordinary least squares linear regression models to generate information based on two national household surveys in Brazil. Both demographics and technology access are related to learning during the pandemic, but demographics have a more constant relationship with learning opportunities than technology access throughout the studied period. • Inequalities in access to education during the pandemic in Latin America. • Use of PNAD-COVID19 to study educational access during the pandemic in Brazil. • ICT access is related to differences in educational access during the pandemic. • Gender and race inequalities not addressed by educational policies in the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of public policies have emerged worldwide as a response from governments facing climate change effects, drawing the attention of the scientific community to the outcomes and actual effects/benefits these policies have brought so far. One of the challenging aspects related to this context is the integration of the objectives set by climate change policies within the sectoral and regional planning. In this respect, the literature recognizes the relevance of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) as an instrument to deal with climate change issues in the planning process and to support the development of alternatives to respond to climate change policies. The influence of climate change policies on the plans and programs supported by SEA in emerging economies is yet to be verified. The paper relies on the case of Brazil, recognized by its relevance in terms of biodiversity, water resources and climate regulation. In 2009, Brazil introduced the National Policy of Climate Change (NPCC), which established guidelines to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) by 2020. The present paper is based on the analysis of the current SEA practice and the corresponding level of integration of climate change issues, considering the objectives of the NPCC. A set of 29 statements, delivered by the literature, was applied, combined to the content analysis techniques to review the quality of 35 SEA reports produced in Brazil between 1997 and 2014 (out of 40-odd cases). The outcomes indicate the performance is similar to what was found in other contexts, i.e., SEA areas barely address climate change issues. This thus reveals an important gap between the objectives of NPCC and sectoral/regional planning. SEA can contribute to reducing this gap, but it needs more strength to influence the development of sectoral and regional policies and plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the impact of land reforms on household agricultural investments, livelihood strategies, and income levels in Brazil. Given the persistence of rural poverty in Northeast Brazil and the existence of both land and credit market failures, land reforms remain important policy tools for alleviating poverty and increasing growth. This paper evaluates the impact of the recent National Program of Land Credit, a controversial market-assisted land reform program that provides access to land through private land markets. Household-level panel data covering similar beneficiary and control groups allows for identification using both propensity score weighting and difference-in-difference methodologies. The evidence indicates that the Land Credit successfully transitions households into agriculture, with land holdings and investments increasing as a result of the program. As with many earlier land reform programs in Latin America, the new wave of market-assisted land reforms does not increase access to private credit. While land reforms have the potential to drive redistribution, poverty reduction, and growth, these findings suggest that ensuring greater access to credit, irrigation, and higher return economic activities remains important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shift from a fossil-based to a bio-based economy (bioeconomy) requires more efficient utilization of the biomass generated from agricultural production. This can be achieved through the cascading use of biomass, which also offers the potential of creating additional value from biomass by developing novel products. Taking sugarcane as a case study example, this paper aims to analyze how well Brazil, the world’s leader in sugarcane production, is positioned to reach these goals. The paper combines two conceptual tools: one is the ‘biomass-based value web’, which was developed as an extension of the value chain concept with the aim to capture the links within and between value chains that arise from the cascading and joined use of biomass. The other concept is that of the ‘national innovation system’ (NIS), which serves to identify the different types of actors involved in the biomass value web and the linkages between them. For empirical data collection, the study combined three methods: a mapping of the physical biomass flows in the value web, in-depth interviews with the actors involved, and the application of the ‘Net-Map’ tool to identify the actors in the NIS and their linkages. The findings show that the development of Brazil’s international competitiveness in sugar and ethanol was based on political incentives that resulted in a strong network of institutions that focused on these two products. However, to become a front-runner in the future bioeconomy, the existing innovation network needs to be expanded. In particular, it is important to integrate national and international private sector organizations. The findings also suggest that industries need stronger incentives to collaborate with knowledge institutions. Long-term consistent policies and funding opportunities for risky investments are also required to further strengthen Brazil’s innovation network to meet future opportunities and challenges of the bioeconomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different interest groups play a role in regulatory governance. One frequently neglected is the group of professionals that run regulatory agencies and pursue regulatory goals. The objective of this paper is to give “regulocrats” center stage. It interprets data from a survey conducted by Brazilian institutions, shedding light on the major preferences of the “regulocrats”, and on how they go about implementing policy and interacting with other actors. Data is combined with a state capacity perspective so as to elaborate on the findings. The paper concludes by articulating an idea of a particular kind of hybridism in the Brazilian “regulocracy”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the main challenges for the development of the natural gas industry in the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo; in so doing, the paper identifies the strategies that are currently employed by industry players to encourage the use of this resource and to thus diversify the state's energy matrix. For these purposes, the following methodology was adopted: (i) analyzing bibliographic references that address the issues of infrastructure industry, regulation and the natural gas industry in Brazil – including in the Brazilian states; and (ii) employing secondary data from governmental and regulatory institutions to demonstrate the evolution of this industry in recent years in Brazil and particularly in Espírito Santo. The study concludes that, although there are challenges in expanding the gas transportation (carrier) and distribution segments ("natural monopolies") and the formation of a "consumption-anchor" for natural gas, the present is the right time to use public policies to encourage the use of natural gas and renewable sources for technological, environmental and energy security reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper formulates a Model Predictive Control (MPC) policy to mitigate the COVID-19 contagion in Brazil, designed as optimal On-Off social isolation strategy. The proposed optimization algorithm is able to determine the time and duration of social distancing policies in the country. The achieved results are based on data from the period between March and May of 2020, regarding the cumulative number of infections and deaths due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This dataset is assumably largely sub-notified due to the absence of mass testing in Brazil. Thus, the MPC is based on a SIR model which is identified using an uncertainty-weighted Least-Squares criterion. Furthermore, this model includes an additional dynamic variable that mimics the response of the population to the social distancing policies determined by the government, which affect the COVID-19 transmission rate. The proposed control method is set within a mixed-logical formalism, since the decision variable is forcefully binary (existence or the absence of social distance policy). A dwell-time constraint is included to avoid too frequent shifts between these two inputs. The achieved simulation results illustrate how such optimal control method would operate in practice, pointing out that no social distancing should be relaxed before mid August 2020. If relaxations are necessary, they should not be performed before this date and should be in small periods, no longer than 25 days. This paradigm would proceed roughly until January/2021. The results also indicate a possible second peak of infections, which has a forecast to the beginning of October. This peak can be reduced if the periods of days with relaxed social isolation measures are shortened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades sustainability has been proposed as a framework for a necessary paradigm shift in transport planning. However, critical scholars have shown how this concept, presented with a strong emphasis on economic growth, has limited capacity to truly challenge the current transport-related environmental and social crises or to constitute an ecological worldview. This paper explores resourcefulness as a complementary concept to inform transport planning and practice. A resourcefulness-based worldview, informed by critical theory and challenging the current distribution of material, intellectual and civic resources, aims to constitute a political shift towards guaranteeing the conditions for challenging crises and for just deliberations concerning ecological futures. The idea of resourcefulness is not proposed as a blueprint for transport planning, nor as a top-down theoretical framework. Rather, with a research approach inspired by Participatory Action Research, it is explored in dialogue with the practices of two grassroots movements: the Urban Mobility Forum and the Move Your City project. These movements have been proposing alternative transport planning views and practices in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and L'Aquila (Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• In the Brazilian pork supply chain, horizontal relationships positively influence performance of Brazilian pig-farmers. • In the Brazilian pork supply chain, horizontal relationships positively influence farmer-buyer vertical relationships. • Vertical relationships positively influence performance of Brazilian pig farmers. • Farmer-buyer relationship quality positively influences performance of Brazilian pig farmers. According to the literature, vertical and horizontal relationships are of key importance to farmer performance. However, most studies have examined these relationships using distinct models. This paper contributes with new insights to the supply chain management and network theories by using a single model to analyse how horizontal relationships impact on vertical relationships and how these jointly affect the performance of Brazilian pig farmers. Data were obtained from 269 farmers delivering pigs through contracts and spot markets in southern Brazil. The results demonstrate that both vertical and horizontal relationships can improve farmer performance. Moreover, horizontal relationships positively influence vertical relationships by improving the exchange of information between farmers and buyers. Furthermore, the findings suggest that these relationships are sensitive to the context (spot market or contracted production) in which the transactions are executed. The study draws relevant management implications for pig farmers, buyers and farmer associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its low global share of direct energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions (1–2%), the implications of technological transitions in the agricultural and forestry sector on the energy system have been overlooked. This paper introduces the Agriculture and Land Use Sector module part of the ModUlar energy System Environment (MUSE), a novel energy system simulation model. The study presents a generalisable method that enables energy modellers to characterise agricultural technologies within an energy system modelling framework. Different mechanisation processes were characterised to simulate intensification/extensification transitions in the sector and its wider implications in the energy and land use system aiming at providing reliable non-energy outputs similarly to those found in dedicated land use models. Additionally, a forest growth model has been integrated to explore the role of reforestation alongside decarbonisation measures in the energy system in achieving carbon mitigation pathways. To illustrate the model's capabilities, Brazil is used as case study. Outputs suggest that by 2030 under a 2 °C mitigation scenario, most of Brazil agricultural production would move from 'transitional' to 'modern' practices, improving productivity and reducing deforestation rates, at the expense of higher energy and fertiliser demand. By mid-century Brazil has the potential to liberate around 24.4 Mha of agricultural land, where large-scale reforestation could have the capacity to sequester around 5.6 GtCO 2 , alleviating mitigation efforts in the energy system, especially reducing carbon capture and storage technology investments in the industry and power sector. • A novel energy-oriented agriculture and land use systems model has been developed. • Mechanisation levels are characterised using cluster analysis and linear optimisation. • Role of reforestation alongside measures in the energy sector in Brazil are studied. • By 2050, modern mechanisation could represent 54–63% of agricultural production. • Brazil has the potential to sequester around 5.6 GtCO 2 through reforestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary This paper investigates whether small-scale water supply systems implemented and operated by water user associations increase access to piped water supply in rural Brazil by more than systems by local governments. Starting from 15% to 16% in the year 2000, access rates in rural areas with water user associations increased to 33.4% in 2010. In areas with local government supply systems, access rates only increased to 24.9%. Based on data from Brazilian census and the national water and sanitation survey, the empirical analysis in this paper shows that the observed difference is effectively due to project-type choice. Additionally it points toward higher accountability as a potential reason for better results of community-based projects. In municipalities where social groups requested a new system before the local government started implementation and therefore public awareness for the project was higher, the increase in access rates is comparable to the increase in municipalities with water user association projects. The same is true if local media is present or political competition in local elections is higher. As the effect of project type on access rates might be confounded by simultaneous drivers of project-type choice and access rates, the quantitative analysis is based on a difference-in-difference estimator in combination with kernel matching to overcome the endogeneity of project type. The treatment effect revealed by this analysis is robust to various specification changes and the robustness checks show no structural differences between treatment and control groups that could bias the results. The calculation of matching weights for the kernel matching is informed by semi-structured interviews with academics and sector experts in Brazil explaining the determinants of project choice. The interviews highlight the political economy behind infrastructure expansion in rural Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fundamental differences between the dimensions of sustainable development have been identified by researchers and many assessment tools have been developed in several countries. This paper introduces the development of a methodology for determining the weight of each dimension employed in sustainable construction assessment through the use of assessment tools that use the Brazilian indicators of sustainable development in accordance with the Commission on Sustainable Development, and also through the utilization of a database provided by the Brazilian Geography and Statistics Institute (IBGE). Firstly, the Sustainability Panel tool was employed to reveal separately the status of dimensions in sustainable development (environmental, social and economic) and then it was made a statistical analysis of the results for each region in Brazil (north, northeast, midwest, southeast and south). The solution presented in this paper aims to reduce the inconsistencies found in the adjustments of the assessment tools considering regional differences based on political actions included in governmental agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centroid moment tensor (CMT) determination in intraplate regions like Brazil can be very difficult, because earthquakes are often recorded just at few and distant stations. This paper introduces a methodology for datasets like that. The methodology is based on waveform inversion in which each source-station path has its own velocity model. The 1-D path-specific velocity models are derived from the Rayleigh- and Love-wave dispersion curves. The waveform inversion is accompanied by posterior check of numerous P-wave first-motion polarities. An important innovation is the use of so-called frequency range test. The test basically consists in calculating CMT's for many different frequency ranges to assess the stability and uncertainty of the solution. The method is validated on two Brazilian earthquakes and a well-known Greek event. An offshore event (mb 5.2) in SE Brazil is inverted with four stations, at epicentral distances 300–400 km. The other Brazilian earthquake (mb 4.8 in Central Brazil) is even more challenging – only two broadband stations at 800–1300 km are at disposal for waveform inversion. The paper unambiguously demonstrates that the path-specific velocity models significantly increase the reliability of the CMT's. While standard models (e.g. IASP91) typically allow waveform modeling up to epicentral distances of the order of a few (∼10) minimum shear wavelengths (MSW), using the path-specific velocity models we successfully inverted waveforms up to > 20 MSW. Single-station waveform inversions are thoroughly tested, but multi-station joint inversions are shown to be preferable. The new methodology of this paper, providing a reasonable estimate of focal mechanisms and their uncertainties in case of highly limited waveform data, may find broad applicability in Brazil and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper estimates the effect of a limit on police use of force on violence – both police and civilian violence – in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. • Police killings and shootings plummeted after the limit. I argue that the internal oversight effectively tied the police's hands in the short run. • Civilian homicides, usually associated with organized crime, also fell. I show two ways that less police violence can slow criminal conflict. • A key takeaway is that restraining the police in high-crime settings may lower violence, both that committed by police and by criminal groups. • These results cast doubt on the efficacy of hard-on-crime policies and suggest that more police restraint, at a minimum, does no harm. Governments in the Americas rely on aggressive policing tactics to fight crime, despite scant evidence of impact. While recent studies depict militarized policing as a driver of violence, few governments have reconsidered their use of it. What impact does a restriction on aggressive policing have on violence, and why? This paper examines limits on police use of force and how they can be implemented to reduce both police and civilian violence. I argue that reforms that require internal, non-police oversight can be effective institutional constraints, minimizing police violence. In settings where organized crime is widespread, these limits can have spillover effects and further decrease civilian violence by (1) slowing the territorial diffusion of criminal conflict and (2) making conflict more predictable. I test these claims by examining an abrupt limit on police raids in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I find that limiting raids – militarized police strikes targeting criminal gangs and communities under their control – led to a 66% decrease in police killings and a 58% decrease in homicides. The effects were concentrated in police precincts where rival criminal groups are in close proximity. Limiting raids did not lead police to be more violent during ordinary patrolling duties, and did not affect property crimes. The implication is that restraining police use of force in high-violence settings may save lives and be no worse than hard-on-crime strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on public cooperation usually focus on its impact on the service costs experienced by service providers. However, engagement in public cooperation in service provision often seeks other outcomes, like service coverage (measured by the population served) rather than simply minimizing service expenditure. Moreover, public cooperation by local governments, as either 'providers' or owners, generates transaction costs arising from negotiation, monitoring, agency costs and the enforcement of cooperative agreements. However, to date, little empirical effort has been directed at determining the impact of transaction costs on service provision owners and service outcomes. This paper addresses this gap in the empirical literature by examining the relationship between cooperative agreements between Brazilian municipalities for water and wastewater provision and service coverage in the light of transaction costs. We find that transaction costs are higher for cooperative providers due primarily to low service coverage levels, especially in sewage services that demand high investment in assets with high specificity. However, lower expenditures may occur after initial up-front investment. • Public cooperation by local governments - as either 'providers' or owners - generates transaction costs. • This paper compares the total spending and service coverage through public cooperation and 'stand-alone' local councils. • Intermunicipal cooperation through Regional Consortia in Brazil has been selected for analysis. • We find that transaction costs are higher for cooperative providers due primarily to low service coverage levels. • Decreasing expenditure may occur after the initial up-front investment on asset specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although biogas technologies in Brazil have a huge potential and a long history few studies have examined biogas in Brazil as a technological field. Accordingly, this paper aims to understand which conditions enabled or constrained the diffusion of biogas technologies. More specifically, this research applies and adapts the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework to examine biogas-specific and context-related conditions as well as their interplay. Data were collected by performing an event history analysis from 1979 to 2016 along with 24 in-depth expert interviews. Our findings indicate that the evolution of geographically embedded sectoral regulations and infrastructures as well as their interactions have been responsible for major changes in the biogas field in Brazil. By demonstrating how this occurred, this research has opened up new possibilities to promote biogas technologies in Brazil. This study also provides an important analytical method that focuses on exploring activities and their background conditions to consider contextual influences in TIS. Consequently, three major ways of contextual influences for TIS studies are suggested – evolution of contextual structures, interaction of contextual structures and translation of external events by these interactions. Highlights • Shows the historical evolution of biogas field in Brazil using the TIS framework. • Proposes to examine activities and actors of value chains to identify TIS contexts. • Explains how sectoral and geographic contexts shaped biogas field in Brazil. • Advances the debate on TIS contexts suggesting patterns of contextual influences. • Discusses the need of coordination for actions to promote biogas technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The paper develops and illustrates a new multivariate approach to analysing inequity in health care. We measure multiple inequity in health care relating to multiple equity-relevant variables – including income, gender, ethnicity, rurality, insurance status and others – and decompose the contribution of each variable to multiple inequity. Our approach encompasses the standard bivariate approach as a special case in which there is only one equity-relevant variable, such as income. We illustrate through an application to physician visits in Brazil, using data from the Health and Health Care Supplement of the Brazilian National Household Sample Survey, comprising 391,868 individuals in the year 2008. We find that health insurance coverage and urban location both contribute more to multiple inequity than income. We hope this approach will help researchers and analysts shed light on the comparative size and importance of the many different inequities in health care of interest to decision makers, rather than focus narrowly on income-related inequity. Highlights • We developed methods for measuring multiple inequity in health care. • Multiple inequity relates to multiple equity-relevant variables, not just income. • We analysed multiple inequity in physician visits in Brazil using survey data. • Insurance coverage and geography contributed more to multiple inequity than income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Comparison of the markets and methods of ethanol production in Poland and Brazil. • Differences in terminology associated with bioethanol to be used for transport purposes in both countries. • Performance of the production scale and use of ethanol in both countries in years 2010–2016. • The market attractiveness (value) of transport biofuels (especially bioethanol) in Poland. • Perspective of biofuel market development in Poland and Brazil. Abstract The objective of this paper was to compare the markets and methods of production of ethanol to be used in transport in Poland and Brazil. Differences in terminology associated with its use for transport purposes in both countries have been discussed, as well as the market-related aspects of such use, comparing, among other things, the scale of production and use in years 2010–2016 and presenting the results of research on attractiveness (value) of the market of transport biofuels (especially bioethanol) in Poland, which were compared to the perspectives of market development in Brazil. In Brazil, the share of renewable energy in total energy consumption is at the level of 42%, making it a world leader in use of energy from RES (renewable energy sources). 18% of the energy used is sugarcane bioenergy (bioethanol). At present, most of this production is being consumed by the domestic market, where ethyl alcohol is being sold as a pure ethanol fuel or mixed with gasoline. In Poland, the share of energy from renewable sources in end use of energy is 11.8%, and energy from liquid biofuels, including bioethanol, constitutes only 10.8% of this value. Although addition of bioethanol to gasoline available on the Polish market is acceptable, vehicles fueled with pure ethanol (like in Brazil) are not popular in Poland. The quantitative data presented indicates that the market of bioethanol in Poland, in relation to the Brazilian market of ethanol fuel, is very small. Production of this biofuel in Poland in year 2016 was almost 26 billion liters lower in comparison with Brazil. In 2007 the conventional biofuel sectors in Poland were considered to be relatively attractive components of the economy. In the case of methyl esters, the value of their production sector achieved the level of almost 68%, and of ethanol – almost 62%. The current results of research on the value of biofuel sectors in Poland are not encouraging in terms of investing in biofuels of this generation (conventional biofuels). Brazil has the longest history of success in terms of biofuels, in particular, bioethanol, however without a favorable taxation system, bioethanol is still more expensive than gasoline. According to forecasts, biodiesel production and consumption in Brazil are evolving in a linear manner, mainly due to the growing demand for fuel and the associated growth in the fleet of Brazilian vehicles and the perspective of increase of the biodiesel/diesel oil mix in the coming years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The largest size class produced with the highest TFP levels in 1985 and 2006. • By 2006, a U-shaped total factor productivity distribution over farm sizes emerged. • The U-shape was due to the smallest and largest sizes having the fastest TFP growth. • Education and annual-crop specialization were associated with higher TFP growth. The long-standing debate on the relationship between farm size and productivity has been generally limited by the range of farm sizes evaluated and the definition of productivity. In this paper we use data from three Brazilian agricultural censuses to address these issues. In particular, we introduce a wider distribution of farm sizes than presently available from the literature and we employ total factor productivity (TFP) as our performance measure. In doing so, we test which farm size class had the highest TFP levels in 1985 and 2006, how factor productivity growth varied within and across farm size classes between those years, and which policy or factor had the greatest productivity enhancing effect. When examining TFP growth, we move beyond the common decomposition into technical and efficiency changes by identifying the complete distribution of farm productivity performances. We find that by 2006 a U-shaped distribution of productivity over farm sizes had emerged. Considerable 1985–2006 TFP growth differences are prevalent; positive rates for the majority accompany stagnant or negative rates for some. Public education investments were associated with faster productivity growth regardless of farm size, while technical assistance's positive effect and credit's negative effect were associated with larger farm sizes. The role of specialization varied by size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper discusses the question about the right to the city and the influences of the dispute for the city on urban mobility, using São Paulo, Brazil's largest city, as a study case. We present the concept of the human mobility transition, which relates to the idea of large shifts in human mobility dynamics that have affected the constitution and development of urban settlements, the structure of the urban form, and social networks. We then argue that the latest stage of this transition is heavily influenced by the fact that cities have become both the arena for and the object of the political struggle between unsustainable economic growth and sustainable human development. Health consequences of the dispute for the city in the context of urban mobility are discussed. Final section uses the case of São Paulo to illustrate these arguments, focusing on changes that occurred from the end of the 19th century onwards. Highlights • Human mobility dynamics influence and are influenced by urban development patterns and social networks. • The concept of human mobility transition is presented and linked to urban and nutrition transitions. • The health consequences of the dispute for the city in the context of mobility transitions are discussed. • The latest stage of the mobility transition will result from political struggles over public space and the right to the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Brazilian Unified Health System was created in the late 1980s to ensure free universal access to health care and was funded by taxes and social contributions. The persistent inequity in access to health services in favour of richer individuals in Brazil has been observed in the literature. However, to the best of our knowledge, no measurement of inequality in medicine use or private health insurance (PHI) among children has been performed with longitudinal data. This paper uses inequality indices and their decompositions to analyse the income-related inequalities/inequities in children's health care in the city of Pelotas, Brazil, using longitudinal data following children from 12 to 72 months of age. Our sample with data in all waves has between 1877 and 2638 children (varying according to outcome). We seek to answer three questions: i) How does the inequality/inequity in health care evolve as children grow up? ii) What are the main factors associated with inequality in children's health care? iii) How much of the change in inequality/inequity is explained by mobility in children's health care and income mobility? We found that inequities in health care have their beginnings in early childhood but that there was a reduction in inequity at 72 months of age. Ownership of children's PHI was associated with greater pro-rich inequity in health care. The reduction in inequality/inequity was linked to mobility in the sense that initially poorer children had greater gains in health care (a greater increase in PHI ownership and a lower reduction in medicine use). Despite this improvement among the poorest, apparently, the Brazilian public health service seems to fail to ensure equity in health care use among children, with possible long-term consequences on inequalities in health. Highlights • The inequities in health care have their beginnings even in early childhood. • Income and mother's education have a strong contribution in the inequalities. • Private health insurance has strong contribution in inequalities of medicine use. • There was reduction in inequity for children's health care in Pelotas/Brazil. • This improvement for poorest children occurred when they reached 72 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A dish/Stirling system using Brazilian experimental solar database was studied. • Iwamoto's model for Stirling engines was updated to reduce errors. • One commercial parabolic dish with 7.5 m of diameter was used. • It was noticed that the maximum output power reached is higher than 1.6 kW. • Global efficiency was higher than 19% between 12 h and 15 h, reaching 26% at 11 h. Abstract In this paper, a methodology is developed to evaluate the performance of a solar system composed of a Stirling engine and a solar dish. There are four models to be assessed: theoretical model of solar irradiation, model of parabolic solar dish, thermal model of receiver and prediction model of Stirling engine performance. A case of study will analyse a city named Natal-RN, located in Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. This city has high annual rates of solar irradiation. Tonatiuh software is used to evaluate parabolic dishes applying the Monte Carlo Ray Tracing method. Furthermore, a prediction model of Stirling engine performance is reformulated using 26 engines data. This reformulation allows error reduction in the prediction of four parameters when compared with the original Iwamoto's model: 40.0% in the maximum output power, 31.0% in the output power at maximum efficiency, 12.1% in the engine speed at maximum output power and 55.8% in the engine speed at maximum efficiency. The behaviour of the system, NS03T Stirling engine and solar dish, is assessed using experimental data of a Brazilian program named SONDA. At Natal-RN, it is noticed that the maximum output power reached by NS03T is higher than 1.6 kW and its global efficiency is higher than 19% between 12 h and 15 h, reaching 26% at 11 h. This values are referent to April, which is the month that represents the average solar characteristics during the year of 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) is generally believed to be a cost-effective mitigation strategy against climate change. Some suggest, however, that costs of REDD+ are underestimated because many studies either exclude or undervalue transaction costs. A major challenge in this field of research is the absence of a common framework and methodology for assessing such costs. This paper uses the notion of governance structures to suggest a generic definition and methodology for measuring transaction costs. The methodology is subsequently used in an analysis of transaction costs for REDD+ pilots in RDS Rio Negro, Brazil and Kilosa, Tanzania. Results indicate higher unit costs – costs per ton of reduced CO 2 – of establishing the REDD+ governance structures in Kilosa, while unit costs of using those structures are higher in RDS Rio Negro. The results also show that while REDD+ was originally conceived as a market i.e., a direct trade between buyers and sellers, it could also take on a non-market governance structure or a mixture of market and non-market elements. These different forms of governance structures have implications for transaction costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The adoption of electric vehicles is key to lowering the consumption of fossil fuels and emission of greenhouse gases. Cross-national surveys studying citizens' purchase intentions regarding electric vehicles (EVs) remain limited, especially when it comes to combining individual micro-level factors and contextual macro-level forces. Based on a cross-national dataset with 2806 respondents from China (n = 1078), Brazil (n = 929), and Russia (n = 799), this study analyzes variations and determinants of purchase intentions for EVs in these three countries. The survey results indicate that purchase intentions for EVs among Chinese citizens is higher than amongst Brazilian and Russian citizens. The purchasing intention of citizens in all three countries is especially high for people who have a wide social network, and if they already know somebody with an EV. Other macro-level factors, including pollution and charging infrastructure, only impact on purchasing intention in Brazil, while government policy initiatives for EVs seem to have limited effects in all three countries. Micro-level factors, such as age and education, do not have any statistically significant effect in Russia and Brazil, and only a weak effect in China. Based on these results, we provide recommendations for business and policy makers who need to anticipate citizens' demand for EVs and design policies suitable to accelerate the adoption of sustainable transport solutions. Highlights • This paper analyzes EV purchase intentions in China, Brazil and Russia. • Electric vehicle purchase intentions among Chinese citizens are highest. • Purchase intentions of citizens are high if they have a wide social network. • Purchase intentions of citizens are high if they know somebody with an EV. • Government policy for EVs seem to have limited effects in all three countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper performs a multi-model comparison to assess strategies for adaptation to climate change impacts in hydropower generation in Brazil under two Representative Concentration Pathways. The approach used allows for evaluating the interactions between climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies under low and high impact scenarios through 2050. Climate change impact projections of sixteen General Circulation Models indicate that a global high emissions trajectory scenario would likely yield more severe impacts on hydropower generation than a mitigation scenario. Adaptation modeling suggests that climate change impacts can be compensated by a wide range of alternatives, whose optimality will depend on the level of mitigation effort pursued. Our results show that climate change impacts would lead to even higher emissions in the absence of climate change mitigation policies. On the other hand, mitigation strategies to pursue lower emissions are maintained under climate change impacts, meaning that mitigation strategies are robust when faced with adaptation challenges. Mitigation efforts could yield a more diverse and less carbon intensive mix of technological options for adaptation. When analyzing investment costs to adapt to climate change impacts, in some cases mitigation can lead to a lower total investment level. Highlights • Climate change impacts on hydropower are assessed for sixteen models and two scenarios. • Interactions between climate change mitigation and adaptation are analyzed. • Adaptation/mitigation strategies from six different energy models are compared. • Adaptation and mitigation investment costs are assessed and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper presents a new procedure to perform geological and geotechnical land zoning at the 1:50,000 scale for potential Hortonian overland flow (R pot values). The procedure was applied to the Ribeirão do Feijão Basin, São Paulo State, Brazil. The zoning was conducted using a procedure that combines rainfall data, engineering geological mapping, infiltration modelling, and anthropogenic and geomorphic aspects. The association between the geological-geotechnical units defined by the engineering geological mapping and the land use types generated 29 different infiltration condition categories, which were used to divide the basin into 94 territorial units. The in situ infiltration test and geotechnical data for each infiltration condition category combined with several rainfall event types were used as inputs to the Philip model to obtain the values of the R pot and infiltration values. The R pot and infiltration values estimated by the proposed procedure agreed well with the values estimated by the Chu model. The 94 territorial units were grouped into 4 classes based on the variability and magnitude of the potential Hortonian overland flow. The first class represents the areas where infiltration predominates (59 km2) for all selected rainfall events, and the second class represents areas of infiltration and flooding (11 km2). Infiltration is predominant in the third class; however, overland flow can be generated (133 km2) depending on the intensity and duration of the rainfall event. The fourth class represents the main source areas of overland flow generation and runoff (40 km2). The areas considered in the third and fourth classes are affected by erosion processes due to the potential generation of Hortonian overland flow. The results indicated that the proposed procedure is adequate for identifying, characterizing, classifying and dividing a region into units with distinct geological and geotechnical zones that are associated with potential Hortonian overland flow. Therefore, the procedure is an appropriate tool for regional planning and water management at the 1:50,000 scale because the results define land units with specific environmental characteristics. The application of the procedure is not expensive and uses common equipment but requires experienced or trained professionals to perform the field and laboratory work. Highlights • In situ infiltration tests are important for characterizing geotechnical variability. • Philip infiltration model was used to estimate potential Hortonian overland flow. • Appropriate geotechnical characterization is essential to overland flow estimation. • 94 territorial units were classified in four geological and geotechnical zones. • The proposed procedure is suitable for regional planning and water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]