Deforestation in Brazil: Understanding the Gap in Cerrado Conservation Policies

Researchers at the University of Cambridge have recently published a study investigating the differences in policy adoption between the Amazon and the Cerrado savannah ecosystem in Brazil. The study found that the expansion of soy production has been a significant driver of deforestation in both regions, but a sector-wide zero deforestation policy was implemented in the Amazon in 2006, known as the Soy Moratorium. Despite its effectiveness, no comparable policy was implemented in the Cerrado, with the researchers attributing this to various historical, political, and geographical factors.

Key Takeaways:

• The expansion of soy production has been a major driver of deforestation in both the Amazon and Cerrado regions in Brazil.
• The Soy Moratorium, implemented in 2006, effectively reduced soy-driven deforestation in the Amazon.
• A zero-deforestation agreement was not implemented in the Cerrado, despite its biodiverse ecosystem and high conservation value.
• Interviews with key private sector decision-makers suggested that differences in public awareness, national politics, narratives, changes in trade relationships, leadership, and sunk investments influenced the differing policy adoption outcomes.
• A new political window for Cerrado conservation policies has recently emerged with Brazil's shift towards a left-centre coalition and efforts to extend due-diligence deforestation regulations to other wooded lands.

Statistics:

• 26 in-depth interviews were conducted with key private sector decision-makers to understand policy adoption in the Amazon and Cerrado.
• The Soy Moratorium reduced soy-driven deforestation in the Amazon by an unspecified amount.
• The Cerrado remains unprotected, with deforestation rates continuing to escalate.
• 2025 marks a significant year for Cerrado conservation policies, with Brazil's political shifts and efforts to extend new due-diligence deforestation regulations.

Sources:

• Global Environmental Change-human and Policy Dimensions, citing: Why Has the Brazilian Cerrado Been Left Behind By Voluntary Environmental Policies?, 2025;92.
• NewsRx LLC, reporting on: New Findings on Environmental Policy Described by Investigators at University of Cambridge (Why Has the Brazilian Cerrado Been Left Behind By Voluntary Environmental Policies?), Global Warming Focus, July 7, 2025; p 1113.