Biblioteca

The study “Illegal Deforestation and Conversion in the Amazon and MATOPIBA: lack of transparency and access to information” crossed official data from the PRODES system (from the National Institute of Space Research – INPE – for the Amazon and the Cerrado) and several databases on ecosystems clearing permits (Autorização de Supressão de Vegetação Nativa, ASV) that are necessary for rural landowners to deforest or convert areas following the possibilities provided by law.

The study found that the transparency of ASV data is very precarious, with information that either does not exist or is made available inadequately or incompletely. By the way that data are currently presented, it is impossible to differentiate between legal and illegal deforestation/conversion in the total period analyzed, which is essential to curb the ever-increasing rates of ecosystem-clearing activities in Brazil.