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Impacts of a large-scale titling initiative on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

Author

Listed:
  • Benedict Probst

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Ariel BenYishay

    (The College of William & Mary
    AidData)

  • Andreas Kontoleon

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Tiago N. P. Reis

    (Université catholique de Louvain
    Instituto de Pesquisa Ambiental da Amazônia (IPAM))

Abstract

Across carbon- and biodiversity-rich tropical forests, titling initiatives are implemented with the goal of regularizing land tenure and decreasing deforestation. However, the effect of tenure security on deforestation is theoretically ambiguous, and credible empirical evidence is lacking. We analyse the responses of 10,647 landholders between 2011 and 2016 to a large-scale land-titling programme called Terra Legal in the Brazilian Amazon, set to regulate an area as big as Germany and France combined. Using a fixed-effects regression modelling strategy and property-level data, we managed to explore the causal chain between land titling and deforestation. Contrary to expectations, we find evidence that small and medium landholders increased deforestation in response to the programme, whereas large landholders remained largely unaffected. Landholders with property titles deforest more as crop and cattle prices increase, indicating greater market integration at the expense of conservation. Our results suggest that titling alone without greater coordination with other policies will not yield the expected environmental benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Benedict Probst & Ariel BenYishay & Andreas Kontoleon & Tiago N. P. Reis, 2020. "Impacts of a large-scale titling initiative on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 3(12), pages 1019-1026, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:3:y:2020:i:12:d:10.1038_s41893-020-0537-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-020-0537-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Sonno, Tommaso & Zufacchi, Davide, 2022. "Epidemics and rapacity of multinational companies," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 117802, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    2. Meyer, Maximilian & Klingelhoeffer, Ekkehard & Naidoo, Robin & Wingate, Vladimir & Börner, Jan, 2021. "Tourism opportunities drive woodland and wildlife conservation outcomes of community-based conservation in Namibia's Zambezi region," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    3. Heß, Simon & Jaimovich, Dany & Schündeln, Matthias, 2021. "Environmental effects of development programs: Experimental evidence from West African dryland forests," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    4. Liu, Qi & Liu, Shilei & Liu, Zhaoyang & Xu, Jintao & Kontoleon, Andreas, 2024. "A regression discontinuity assessment of the differential impacts of China’s Natural Forest Protection Program across forestland property right regimes," EfD Discussion Paper 24-10, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.
    5. Berman, Nicolas & Couttenier, Mathieu & Leblois, Antoine & Soubeyran, Raphael, 2023. "Crop prices and deforestation in the tropics," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    6. João Pedro Vieira & Ricardo Dahis & Juliano Assunção, 2023. "The Role of Sanctions and Spillovers in Forest Conservation," Monash Economics Working Papers 2023-16, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    7. Ferrante, Lucas & Andrade, Maryane B.T. & Fearnside, Philip M., 2021. "Land grabbing on Brazil's Highway BR-319 as a spearhead for Amazonian deforestation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    8. Albuquerque Sant'Anna, André & Costa, Lucas, 2021. "Environmental regulation and bail outs under weak state capacity: Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon11The authors gratefully acknowledge Antonio Ambrózio, Juliano Assunção, Arthur Bragança, Filipe ," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    9. Chervier, Colas & Ximenes, Arimatéa C. & Mihigo, Blaise-Pascal Ntirumenyerwa & Doumenge, Charles, 2024. "Impact of industrial logging concession on deforestation and forest degradation in the DRC," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    10. Magalhães de Oliveira, Gustavo & Sellare, Jorge & Cisneros, Elias & Börner, Jan, 2024. "Mind your language: Political signaling and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon," Discussion Papers 333334, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    11. West, Thales A.P., 2024. "Formal designation of Brazilian indigenous lands linked to small but consistent reductions in deforestation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    12. Conceição, Katyanne V. & Chaves, Michel E.D. & Picoli, Michelle C.A. & Sánchez, Alber H. & Soares, Anderson R. & Mataveli, Guilherme A.V. & Silva, Daniel E. & Costa, Joelma S. & Camara, Gilberto, 2021. "Government policies endanger the indigenous peoples of the Brazilian Amazon," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    13. Vieira, João Pedro & Dahis, Ricardo & Assunção, Juliano, 2023. "From Deforestation to Reforestation: The Role of General Deterrence in Changing Farmers' Behavior," SocArXiv vqpkm, Center for Open Science.
    14. Andrea Pacheco & Carsten Meyer, 2022. "Land tenure drives Brazil’s deforestation rates across socio-environmental contexts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.

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