Illegal deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has accelerated in recent years, driven by logging, gold mining, land grabbing, and especially cattle ranching, which accounts for about 65% of forest loss in the biome (Imazon, 2016). This process not only threatens biodiversity and regional water cycles but also generates severe social and economic impacts for Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and the broader climate system.
Globally, nature crimes generate an estimated USD 110–281 billion annually (FACT Coalition, 2024), and the Amazon is one of the most affected regions. In Brazil, weak enforcement, fragmented data, and limited institutional coordination have allowed illegal activities to expand, often crossing national borders. Understanding the economic consequences of these crimes is critical to strengthen accountability, inform public policies, and support more effective environmental governance.
In partnership with Amazon Conservation (ACA), Conservation Strategy Fund is conducting a comprehensive economic analysis of the costs of illegal deforestation in the Amazon. The project will integrate data from multiple sources, improve valuation methodologies, and provide robust evidence to support decision-making, enforcement, and stakeholder engagement.
By quantifying the economic impacts of forest loss, the project seeks to promote coordinated action among governments, civil society, and local communities. These findings will also support awareness-raising efforts, including high-level dialogues at events such as COP30, helping to strengthen political will and mobilize effective responses to protect the Amazon’s forests and the livelihoods they sustain.
This project is being conducted in partnership with ACA with funding from the World Bank’s Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program (ASL) .
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