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Studies showed that Brazilian Amazon indigenous territories (Its) are efficient models for preserving forests by reducing deforestation, fires, and related carbon emissions. Here, we used official remote sensing datasets to analyze deforestation inside and outside indigenous territories within Brazil's Amazon biome in the 2013-2021 period. We found that deforestation has increased by 129% inside ITs since 2013, followed by an increase in illegal mining areas. In the 2019-2021 period, deforestation was 195% higher and 30% further from the borders towards the interior of indigenous territories than in previous years (2013-2018). Furthermore, about 59% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions within ITs in the 2013-2021 period (96 million tons) occurred in the last three years of analyzed years, revealing the magnitude of increasing deforestation to climate impacts. Therefore, curbing deforestation in indigenous territories must be a priority for the Brazilian government to secure these peoples' land rights, ensure the forests' protection and regulate the global climate.

Over 130 countries have committed to reaching net-zero CO2 or GHG emissions by 2050, yet this ambition is rarely underpinned by robust policies. By applying a detailed integrated assessment modelling approach for Brazil, we assess, for the first time, the extent to which the existing and planned local policies could put Brazil on the path to its net zero pledge. This includes quantifying the role of nature-based solutions, such as protection and restoration, and engineered solutions, such as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). We show protection is the single most important climate mitigation measure at relatively low costs, whereas relying heavily on engineered solutions would jeopardise Brazil’s chances of achieving its net zero pledge. We also show that the mismatch between Brazil's short- and long-term climate targets reflects current weak environmental governance. Our analysis reinforces the urgent need for Brazil to eliminate illegal deforestation and go beyond to help fight climate change whilst curbing biodiversity loss.

Territorios indígenas (ITs, en sus siglas en inglés) en la Amazonia protegen aproximadamente 24,GtC sobre el suelo, funcionan como barreras significativas contra la deforestación y la degradación del bosque, y sirven como una defensa importante contra el cambio climático. Los ITs demarcados tienen significativamente menos deforestación en comparación con tierras no reconocidas, demostrando la importancia de demarcar ITs para proteger los sustentos y la cultura de los indígenas Amazónicos y para conservar sus bosques y ríos.

Global climate change, the conversion of large areas of tropical forest to agriculture and rangelands, and forest degradation driven by wildfires are pushing the Amazon towards irreversible thresholds, often called tipping points. We need an immediate deforestation moratorium in areas more likely to cross a tipping point (e.g., Southern Amazon), and in protected areas and Indigenous territories; so that there is zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.

Territórios Indígenas (TIs) na Amazônia protegem aproximadamente 24.5 gigatoneladas de carbono (GtC) acima do solo, atuam como barreiras significativas contra o desmatamento e a degradação florestal, e funcionam como importantes amortecedores contra as mudanças climáticas. TIs demarcadas apresentam desmatamento significativamente menor do que terras não reconhecidas oficialmente, demonstrando a importância de se demarcar TIs tanto para proteger os meios de subsistência e as culturas dos povos nativos da Amazônia, quanto para conservar suas florestas e rios.

Territorios indígenas (ITs, en sus siglas en inglés) en la Amazonia protegen aproximadamente 24,GtC sobre el suelo, funcionan como barreras significativas contra la deforestación y la degradación del bosque, y sirven como una defensa importante contra el cambio climático. Los ITs demarcados tienen significativamente menos deforestación en comparación con tierras no reconocidas, demostrando la importancia de demarcar ITs para proteger los sustentos y la cultura de los indígenas Amazónicos y para conservar sus bosques y ríos.

Global climate change, the conversion of large areas of tropical forest to agriculture and rangelands, and forest degradation driven by wildfires are pushing the Amazon towards irreversible thresholds, often called tipping points. We need an immediate deforestation moratorium in areas more likely to cross a tipping point (e.g., Southern Amazon), and in protected areas and Indigenous territories; so that there is zero deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.

Territorios indígenas (ITs, en sus siglas en inglés) en la Amazonia protegen aproximadamente 24,GtC sobre el suelo, funcionan como barreras significativas contra la deforestación y la degradación del bosque, y sirven como una defensa importante contra el cambio climático. Los ITs demarcados tienen significativamente menos deforestación en comparación con tierras no reconocidas, demostrando la importancia de demarcar ITs para proteger los sustentos y la cultura de los indígenas Amazónicos y para conservar sus bosques y ríos.

Indigenous territories (ITs) in the Amazon protect approximately 24.5 GtC aboveground, act as significant barriers to deforestation and forest degradation, and serve as an important buffer against climate change. Demarcated ITs have significantly less deforestation than unrecognized lands, demonstrating the importance of demarcating ITs to both protect the livelihoods and cultures of the Amazon’s native peoples and to conserve its forests and rivers.

Territórios Indígenas (TIs) na Amazônia protegem aproximadamente 24.5 gigatoneladas de carbono (GtC) acima do solo, atuam como barreiras significativas contra o desmatamento e a degradação florestal, e funcionam como importantes amortecedores contra as mudanças climáticas. TIs demarcadas apresentam desmatamento significativamente menor do que terras não reconhecidas oficialmente, demonstrando a importância de se demarcar TIs tanto para proteger os meios de subsistência e as culturas dos povos nativos da Amazônia, quanto para conservar suas florestas e rios.

Background and Aims We present evidence examining spatial and temporal patterns in forest cover changes and economic indicators in Brazilian Amazonia. Specifically, we tested two predictions embedded in arguments used by influential interest groups: (i) indicators of economic progress should increase where there is less forest and (ii) areas with most recent deforestation should have increased economic indicators. Methods Complementary methods assessed annual variation in economic indicators across 794 administrative districts (municipalities) covering 4.9 Mkm2 of the Brazilian Amazon from 2002 to 2019. A representative subset of municipalities was used to compare economic and socioeconomic indicators across municipalities with contrasting forest cover. Results Contrasting results between the full and a representative subset of municipalities suggested that municipality-level economic indicators cannot be directly attributed to the loss of natural forests. There was no association between forest loss and economic (average salary) or socioeconomic indicators (existence of sanitation plans and internet connectivity). The economic indicators of municipalities with less than 40% forest cover in 1986 were no different to that of similar municipalities with more than 60% forest cover from 1986 to 2019. Conclusion The evidence contradicted both predictions tested. Reducing forest cover does not appear to directly promote socioeconomic progress. Any localized associations between forest cover and poverty most likely result from other more plausible alternatives including lack of opportunity and a widespread failure to effectively implement and enforce existing policies within the local socioeconomic context. Implications for Conservation Our findings support evidence from across the tropics that shows deforestation does not necessarily generate transformative and equitable food production systems or lead to poverty alleviation.

La deforestación y la degradación forestal son el resultado de la interacción entre varios impulsores directos que a menudo operan en tándem. El bioma amazónico había perdido aproximadamente 870.000 km2 de su cobertura forestal original, principalmente debido a la expansión agrícola (pastizales y tierras de cultivo). Otros impulsores directos incluyen la apertura de nuevas carreteras, la construcción de represas hidroeléctricas, la explotación de minerales y petróleo y la urbanización.

Este capítulo propone una visión enfocada en la vida que apoye una Amazonía sostenible, en la que el uso de sus recursos y la biodiversidad en el presente no comprometa la existencia de futuras generaciones de seres humanos y no humanos. La Visión Amazonía Viva es el resultado de consultas con científicos y autores del Panel Científico para la Amazonía, y sus múltiples interacciones con los actores de la región, así como un diálogo entre el conocimiento Indígena y la ciencia.

El Capítulo 26 discute la pertinencia y las limitaciones de las definiciones de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible para cada una de estas cinco dimensiones, considerando el contexto amazónico.

Amazonia is under significant stress from both deforestation and climate change. Multiple pieces of evidence show that the links between the hydrological and carbon cycles are fast changing. Deforestation is increasing in Amazonia, and in 2021, about 13,35 km² of forests were converted, a value 22% larger than 2020. On the deforestation side, the government's recent public policies favor illegal occupation of public lands and invasion of indigenous territories protected by the Brazilian constitution. Deforestation brings forest degradation to the edges of deforested areas, increasing carbon emissions. The impact of climate change is less clear, with changes in the hydrological cycle and increased temperature, promoting forest degradation that makes parts of the Amazon Forest become a carbon source.The Amazonian forest is a very complex system with multiple anthropogenic and climate change pressures. It is hard to know where a possible Amazonian tipping point could be and which variables or values could be the indicators for this possible tipping point. The role of intensified climate extremes is another critical variable, with Amazonia under increased intense droughts/inundation cycles in the last 30 years. Remote sensing measurements show that vapor pressure deficit is increasing for both perturbed Eastern and at the pristine Northern Amazonia. Several different studies show that the carbon uptake by undisturbed forests is not equilibrating the carbon emissions by deforestation for parts of Amazonia. CO2 emissions associated with deforestation are increasing. The MapBiomas system provides detailed land-use change maps linked to meteorological information to apportion carbon emissions to forest degradation or deforestation. The role of soil emissions is not fully quantified for the overall Amazonia. We are developing a basin-wide system using big data strategies with machine learning, artificial intelligence, and other advanced techniques to address drivers for land-use changes in Amazonia and carbon and methane emissions and sinks. Flooded areas in Amazonia show significant methane emissions, and the effects of increasing floods and droughts cycles have an important impact on methane emissions. First results will be presented, with CO2 and CH4 ground-based and remote sensing measurements in Amazonia, coupled with MapBiomas land-use change maps.

Developing a clear vision is the central starting point for any action plan. This chapter reviews the main visions regarding the Amazon and proposes a Living Amazon Vision based on a set of values, principles, and knowledge systems described throughout the chapter.

This chapter discusses the importance and limitations of the five SDG dimensions (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership) in the Amazonian context. It also discusses the performance and trends of Amazonian countries in achieving the SDGs.

This chapter discusses the main drivers of deforestation and forest degradation in the Amazon, particularly agricultural expansion, road construction, mining, oil and gas development, forest fires, edge effects, logging, and hunting. It also examines these activities’ impacts and synergies between them.

Nations will reaffirm their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26; www.ukcop26.org), in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021. Revision of the national commitments will play a key role in defining the future of Earth’s climate. In past conferences, the main target of Amazonian nations was to reduce emissions resulting from land-use change and land management by committing to decrease deforestation rates, a well-known and efficient strategy1,2. However, human-induced forest degradation caused by fires, selective logging, and edge effects can also result in large carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions1,2,3,4,5, which are not yet explicitly reported by Amazonian countries. Despite its considerable impact, forest degradation has been largely overlooked in previous policy discussions5. It is vital that forest degradation is considered in the upcoming COP26 discussions and incorporated into future commitments to reduce GHG emissions.

Climate change is a global phenomenon that affects biophysical systems and human well-being. The Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change entered into force in 2016 with the objective of strengthening the global response to climate change by keeping global temperature rise this century well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 °C. The agreement requires all Parties to submit their “nationally determined contributions” (NDCs) and to strengthen these efforts in the years ahead. Reducing carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation is an important strategy for mitigating climate change, particularly in developing countries with large forests. Extensive tropical forest loss and degradation have increased awareness at the international level of the need to undertake large-scale ecological restoration, highlighting the need to identify cases in which restoration strategies can contribute to mitigation and adaptation. Here we consider Brazil as a case study to evaluate the benefits and challenges of implementing large-scale restoration programs in developing countries. The Brazilian NDC included the target of restoring and reforesting 12 million hectares of forests for multiple uses by 2030. Restoration of native vegetation is one of the foundations of sustainable rural development in Brazil and should consider multiple purposes, from biodiversity and ecosystem services conservation to social and economic development. However, ecological restoration still presents substantial challenges for tropical and mega-diverse countries, including the need to develop plans that are technically and financially feasible, as well as public policies and monitoring instruments that can assess effectiveness. The planning, execution, and monitoring of restoration efforts strongly depend on the context and the diagnosis of the area with respect to reference ecosystems (e.g., forests, savannas, grasslands, wetlands). In addition, poor integration of climate change policies at the national and subnational levels and with other sectorial policies constrains the large-scale implementation of restoration programs. The case of Brazil shows that slowing deforestation is possible; however, this analysis highlights the need for increased national commitment and international support for actions that require large-scale transformations of the forest sector regarding ecosystem restoration efforts. Scaling up the ambitions and actions of the Paris Agreement implies the need for a global framework that recognizes landscape restoration as a cost-effective nature-based solution and that supports countries in addressing their remaining needs, challenges, and barriers.

The Brazilian Cerrado consists of a highly heterogeneous tropical savanna, and its biomass stocks are highly variable. Mapping and monitoring these stocks is not trivial. To address this challenge, we built an aboveground woody biomass (AGWB) model for the Cerrado biome using 30-m resolution optical satellite imagery (Landsat-5 and Landsat-8), 25-m resolution SAR imagery (ALOS and ALOS-2), and a set of plot-based and LiDAR-derived AGWB estimates. We implemented both a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and a Random Forest (RF) algorithm to model AGWB over the native vegetation for the year 2019 in the Cerrado. The RF algorithm resulted in a slightly better result $(\mathrm{R}^{2}=53\%;\text{ rel. RMSE} =57\%)$ than, the CART model $(\mathbf{R}^{2}=45\%\ \text{ rel. RMSE} =63\% 1$ , but our map shows an underestimation of very high AGWB (negative bias over 200 t.ha-1) and a slight overestimation of low AGWB (positive bias).

Providing scientific subsidies for public policies is a compromise that is beyond the boundaries created by the academic universe, requiring scientists to respond to the challenges posed by increasingly complex societies, both socially and environmentally. Considering this, the objective of this work was to build a pilot project for rapid assessment of Tefé National Forest (TNF) land use zoning and evaluate its relevance as a tool to support actions and influence discussions in protected area management councils.The assessment considered remote sensing data on deforestation and fire from 2005 to 2015. Deforestation maps (PRODES-INPE) and active fire (MODIS) information were overlapped with TNF land use zoning. Although National Forest, in general, has its land use rules provided by law, each protected area defines on its Management Plan their own land use zoning, with specific rules.The study showed that in 2015, 97% of TNF was covered by forest, and although no deforestation was recorded in the same year, the number of active fires was 1.8 times higher than the average from 2005 to 2014. This demonstrates the vulnerability of this area to the extreme drought which affected the region this year. The Population Zone, where 44% of the TNF population lives, recorded the highest rates of deforestation and fire. The Preservation Zone, on the other hand, showed to be fulfilling its function, presenting no active fires and only one deforestation event during the whole analyzed period.These results were presented at the 20th TNF Council Meeting, in 2017. The TNF manager pointed out the great importance of spatial and temporal diagnoses, which can exert in prioritize actions to tackle specific problems in most threatened zones. Community leaders participating in the meeting contributed to the completion of the results with in situ day-to-day reports, offering hypotheses for some phenomena observed on the assessment, such as the deforestation observed in 2010. After that, it became clear that actions directly focused on the Population Zone, and mainly related to the use of fire in years of extreme drought, can improve the conservation outcome for this protected area. Integrated socio-environmental diagnosis, such as this pilot project, can be an important tool, allowing a broader version of the monitoring strategies.

The Brazilian Savanna, known as Cerrado (Cerrado sensu lato (s.l.)), is the second largest biome in South America. It comprises different physiognomies due to variations of soil, topography and human impacts. The gradients of tree density, tree height, above ground biomass (AGB) and wood species cover vary according to the Cerrado formation, ranging from different grassland formations (Campo limpo, campo sujo), savanna intermediary formations (Campo cerrado and Cerrado sensu stricto - s.s) and forest formations (Cerradão, Mata ciliar, Mata de galeria and Mata Seca).Although the carbon stock in Cerrado is lower than in the Brazilian Amazon, the conversion of this biome to other types of land use is occurring much faster. In the last ten years, the degradation of Cerrado forest was the second largest source of carbon emissions in Brazil. Therefore, effective methods for assessing and monitoring aboveground woody biomass and carbon stocks are needed. A multi-sensor Earth observation approach and machine learning techniques have shown potential for the large-scale characterization of Cerrado forest structure.The aim of this study is to present a method to estimate the AGB of an area of the Brazilian Cerrado using ALOS-PALSAR (L-band SAR), Landsat, LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) and field datasets. Field data consisted of 15 plots of 1 ha area located in Rio Vermelho watershed in Goiás-State (Brazil). We used a 2-step AGB estimation (i) from the field AGB using LIDAR metrics and (ii) from LIDAR-AGB to satellite Earth Observation scales following a Random Forest regression algorithm. The methodology to estimate ABG of Cerrado Stricto Sensu vegetation is part of the Forests 2020 project which is the largest investment by the UK Space Agency, as part of the International Partnerships Programme (IPP), to support in the improvement of the forest monitoring in six partner countries through advanced uses of satellite data.

Significance In the next 5 y, more than 10 thousand kilometers of roads will be built or improved in the Amazon. Well-designed projects can increase employment opportunities, reduce transport costs, and support regional development. However, roads will also drive deforestation, threatening biodiversity and ecosystem services, jeopardizing the welfare of indigenous people, and moving the biome toward irreversible shifts in vegetation. Data to support good decisions are remarkably scarce. Typical feasibility studies, where they exist, inadequately address environmental and social impacts and do not facilitate comparison across projects. This study contributes to informed decision-making by quantifying the environmental, social and economic effects of 75 planned projects. It demonstrates that fewer projects in carefully chosen locations would dramatically improve outcomes of all types., The rapidly expanding network of roads into the Amazon is permanently altering the world’s largest tropical forest. Most proposed road projects lack rigorous impact assessments or even basic economic justification. This study analyzes the expected environmental, social and economic impacts of 75 road projects, totaling 12 thousand kilometers of planned roads, in the region. We find that all projects, although in different magnitudes, will negatively impact the environment. Forty-five percent will also generate economic losses, even without accounting for social and environmental externalities. Canceling economically unjustified projects would avoid 1.1 million hectares of deforestation and US$ 7.6 billion in wasted funding for development projects. For projects that exceed a basic economic viability threshold, we identify the ones that are comparatively better not only in terms of economic return but also have lower social and environmental impacts. We find that a smaller set of carefully chosen projects could deliver 77% of the economic benefit at 10% of the environmental and social damage, showing that it is possible to have efficient tradeoff decisions informed by legitimately determined national priorities.

The synergism between climatic change and human action has provided conditions for the occurrence of forest fires in the Amazon. We used annual mapping to reconstruct the history of fire in Brazil’s state of Acre to understand the forest-fire regime over a period of 33 years (1984–2016). The burn-scar index (BSI) derived from the fractions of soil and of photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic material was generated by CLASlite© software using Landsat-TM and OLI satellite images. The area of forest-fire scars totaled 525,130 ha in the period analyzed. This total includes forests that fire affected only once (388,350 ha), twice (59,800 ha) and three times (5727 ha). The years 2005 and 2010 represent 90% of the total area of forest fires in Acre, coinciding with severe droughts caused by the anomalous warming of the tropical North Atlantic Ocean. The most heavily impacted portion of Acre was in the eastern part of the state, which has the greatest forest fragmentation, consolidation of agricultural activity and presence of settlement projects. In 2005, the municipalities of Acrelândia, Placido de Castro and Senador Guiomard accounted for more than 50% of the forest remnants impacted by fire. Of the total extent of forest fires in Acre, 43% occurred in settlement projects administered by the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA) and 16% in conservation units administered by the Ministry of Environment (MMA). The area of forest fires was 36 times greater in the 16 years after 2000, compared to the 16 years before 2000. The frequency of fires increased dramatically from one fire episode roughly every ten years (period from 1984 to 2004), to one fire every five years (period from 2005 to 2016). With the projections of warmer climate and advancing deforestation, the forest fires in Acre will tend be more intense and frequent.

The Brazilian Cerrado biome consists of a highly heterogeneous tropical savanna, and is one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. High rates of deforestation, however, place it as the second-largest source of carbon emissions in Brazil. Due to its heterogeneity, biomass and carbon stocks in the Cerrado vegetation are highly variable, and mapping and monitoring these stocks are not a trivial effort. To address this challenge, we built an aboveground woody biomass (AGWB) model for the Cerrado biome using 30-m resolution optical satellite imagery (Landsat-5 and Landsat-8), 25-m resolution SAR imagery (ALOS and ALOS-2), and a set of plot-based and LiDAR-derived AGWB estimates (n = 1858) from a wide network of researchers in Brazil. We implemented both a Classification and Regression Tree (CART) and a Random Forest (RF) algorithm to model AGWB over the native vegetation in the year 2019 (as classified by MapBiomas) in the Cerrado. The RF algorithms resulted in a slightly better result (R2 = 53%; rel. RMSE = 57%) than the CART model (R2 = 45%; rel. RMSE = 63%), but our map shows an underestimation of very high AGWB (negative bias over 200 t ha−1) and a slight overestimation of low AGWB (positive bias), especially in the RF model (bias of 1.19 t ha−1 against 0.86 t ha−1 for the CART model). We believe we have contributed to knowledge on the woody biomass stocks in the biome, especially in the predominant savanna woodlands, which is where the highest current rates of conversion take place in the Cerrado.

ropical dry forests and savannas harbour unique biodiversity and provide critical ES, yet they are under severe pressure globally. We need to improve our understanding of how and when this pressure provokes tipping points in biodiversity and the associated social-ecological systems. We propose an approach to investigate how drivers leading to natural vegetation decline trigger biodiversity tipping and illustrate it using the example of the Dry Diagonal in South America, an understudied deforestation frontier. The Dry Diagonal represents the largest continuous area of dry forests and savannas in South America, extending over three million km² across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay. Natural vegetation in the Dry Diagonal has been undergoing large-scale transformations for the past 30 years due to massive agricultural expansion and intensification. Many signs indicate that natural vegetation decline has reached critical levels. Major research gaps prevail, however, in our understanding of how these transformations affect the unique and rich biodiversity of the Dry Diagonal, and how this affects the ecological integrity and the provisioning of ES that are critical both for local livelihoods and commercial agriculture. Fil: Thonicke, Kirsten. Institute for Climate Impact Research ; Alemania Fil: Langerwisch, Fanny. Institute for Climate Impact Research ; Alemania. Czech University of Life Sciences Prague; República Checa Fil: Baumann, Matthias. Humboldt Universität zu Berlin; Alemania. Technische Universitat Carolo Wilhelmina Zu Braunschweig.; Alemania Fil: Leitão, Pedro J.. Humboldt Universität zu Berlin; Alemania. Technische Universitat Carolo Wilhelmina Zu Braunschweig.; Alemania Fil: Václavík, Tomáš. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research; Alemania. Palacký University Olomouc; República Checa Fil: Alencar, Anne. Ministerio da Agricultura Pecuaria e Abastecimento de Brasil. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuaria; Brasil Fil: Simões, Margareth. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA); Brasil Fil: Scheiter, Simon. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA); Brasil. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil Fil: Langan, Liam. Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre; Alemania Fil: Bustamante, Mercedes. Universidade do Brasília; Brasil Fil: Gasparri, Nestor Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán; Argentina Fil: Hirota, Marina. Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina; Brasil. Universidade Estadual de Campinas; Brasil Fil: Börner, Jan. Universitat Bonn; Alemania Fil: Rajao, Raoni. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil Fil: Soares Filho, Britaldo. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; Brasil Fil: Yanosky, Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología; Paraguay Fil: Ochoa Quinteiro, José Manuel. Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humboldt; Colombia Fil: Seghezzo, Lucas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Investigaciones en Energía no Convencional; Argentina Fil: Conti, Georgina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; Argentina Fil: de la Vega Leiner, Anne Cristina. Universität Greifswald; Alemania

Fire is one of the most powerful modifiers of the Amazonian landscape and knowledge about its drivers is needed for planning control and suppression. A plethora of factors may play a role in the annual dynamics of fire frequency, spanning the biophysical, climatic, socioeconomic and institutional dimensions. To uncover the main forces currently at play, we investigated the area burned in both forested and deforested areas in the outstanding case of Brazil's state of Acre, in southwestern Amazonia. We mapped burn scars in already-deforested areas and intact forest based on satellite images from the Landsat series analyzed between 2016 and 2019. The mapped burnings in already-deforested areas totalled 550,251 ha. In addition, we mapped three forest fires totaling 34,084 ha. Fire and deforestation were highly correlated, and the latter occurred mainly in federal government lands, with protected areas showing unprecedented forest fire levels in 2019. These results indicate that Acre state is under increased fire risk even during average rainfall years. The record fires of 2019 may continue if Brazil's ongoing softening of environmental regulations and enforcement is maintained. Acre and other Amazonian states must act quickly to avoid an upsurge of social and economic losses in the coming years.

The Cerrado biome in Brazil is characterized by a mosaic of vegetation types similar to African savanna and has one of the highest levels of biodiversity in the world. Wildfires have historically contributed to shaping the natural vegetation and are now being used in the establishment and management of agricultural systems and pastures. Consequently, the fire regime has been changing over the last few decades and increasingly affecting native vegetation, natural habitats, and ecosystem services in tropical regions. Mapping fire dynamics and spatial distribution are crucial to assess impacts on ecosystems and to define and enforce strategies and measures of fire control and prevention. In this study, we developed an alternative approach for mapping burned areas in the Cerrado biome in Brazil, using Landsat imagery and Deep Learning algorithm, implemented on the Google Earth Engine and on Google Cloud Storage platform. We compared our mapping results with two Burned Area products developed by INPE (30 m resolution) and MODIS MCD64A1 Burned Area Product (500 m resolution). Additionally, we assessed the accuracies of these three mapping products using 2,200 validation points within the study area. By comparing our mapping result with MCD64A1 and INPE burn scar products, we estimated an average agreement of 34% for both. We observed that most mapping disagreements were mainly because of the effects of clouds/shadow conditions that affected the ability for spectral observations, differences in methodologies, and spatial resolution of each remotely sensed datasets used for mapping burned areas. Our validation results indicated an overall accuracy of 97% of our methodological approach for mapping burned areas and, therefore, it can be successfully applied across savanna regions. Our results showed that 202,230 km2 was affected by fires within the Cerrado biome in 2017, in which 31% overlapped cropping lands (agricultural fields and pastures) and 67% overlapped various types of native vegetation (forest, savanna and grassland). Our proposed methodological approach and its results can be useful to enforce environmental command and control policies and to estimate carbon emissions, analyses interactions between climate and ecological drivers of fire, develop predictive models of fire risk dynamics, and providing spatial information that can help public policies and fire management/prevention actions for the Cerrado conservation.

As Terras Indígenas protegem uma grande proporção da Amazônia brasileira, contribuindo para a redução do desmatamento e manutenção do equilíbrio climático da região. Este papel ecológico é consequência direta da gestão ambiental e territorial que os povos indígenas praticam tradicionalmente a milhares de anos. O cenário político atual e o avanço do desmatamento e de outras atividades antrópicas têm ameaçado a autonomia e direitos historicamente conquistados. Adicionado a esse cenário, as mudanças climáticas têm o potencial de agravar os impactos ambientais que as Terras Indígenas estão expostas, ameaçando suas tradições e modos de vida. Neste trabalho nós discutimos como o cenário político e outras ameaças têm afetado os povos indígenas brasileiros, os efeitos das mudanças climáticas em seus territórios e os meios de adaptação a tais mudanças. Como parte das possíveis ações de adaptação, apresentamos uma ferramenta de gestão para o planejamento da gestão ambiental e territorial das terras indígenas.

The Brazilian Amazon has 49.8 million hectares (Mha) of public forestlands not allocated by the federal or state governments to a specific tenure status: the so called undesignated public forests (UPF). Historically, these public forests have been vulnerable to land grabbers and land speculation. Here, we highlighted the imminent threat in UPF by quantifying their accumulated deforestation, all of which is illegal, for the period 1997–2018 and the potential illegal occupation. Based on the available government database, we found that 2.6 Mha of UPF had already been deforested by 2018 resulting in an emission of 1.2 billion tons of CO2 (Gt CO2). The accumulated deforestation was 5.4 times higher in federal UPF than in state UPF. Moreover, a total of 11.6 Mha of UPF have already been illegally registered as “private property” in the Brazilian Environmental Rural Registry (CAR), 70 % of these areas located in state UPF. If legalized as private proprieties, the carbon emissions resulting from additional deforestation will be roughly between 1.2 and 3.0 Gt CO2. The seriousness and precariousness of protection of Brazilian Amazon UPF, the rapid conversion of forests outside these areas and increased flexibility in land policies - calls for the immediate designation of these areas to some form of conservation, as to avoid irreparable damage to the world's largest rainforest.

The Amazon forest’s main protection against fire is its capacity to create a moist understory microclimate. Roads, deforestation, droughts, and climate change have made this natural firebreak less effective. The southern Amazon, in particular, has become more flammable and vulnerable to wildfires during recent droughts. The drought of 1997/98 first showed that fires could escape from agricultural fields and burn standing primary forests that were once considered impenetrable to fire. The spread of forest fires during other 21st-century droughts suggests that this pattern may well be the new normal. With the landscape becoming more flammable, reducing sources of ignition and the negative effects of deforestation is crucial for avoiding severe degradation of Amazon forests. Unfortunately, recent increases in deforestation suggest that Brazil is moving in the opposite direction. Keeping pace with the rapid changes in the region’s fire regimes would require innovation; cooperation across political boundaries; and interagency communication on a scale never seen before. While Brazil’s past success in reducing deforestation suggests that it could be an effective leader in this regard, its sluggish response to the 2019 fires tells quite a different story. But the fact remains that the future of the Amazon depends on decisive action now.