Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels

This paper maps out and analyses the wide range of policies and players that have shaped the phenomenal rise of biofuels in Brazil, drawing comparisons between the ethanol and biodiesel industries. The sugarcane-ethanol sector’s expansion has been characterised by distinct waves of regulation and de...

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Main Authors: Andrade, R.M.T., Miccolis, Andrew
Format: Libro
Language:Inglés
Published: Center for International Forestry Research 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/20841
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author Andrade, R.M.T.
Miccolis, Andrew
author_browse Andrade, R.M.T.
Miccolis, Andrew
author_facet Andrade, R.M.T.
Miccolis, Andrew
author_sort Andrade, R.M.T.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description This paper maps out and analyses the wide range of policies and players that have shaped the phenomenal rise of biofuels in Brazil, drawing comparisons between the ethanol and biodiesel industries. The sugarcane-ethanol sector’s expansion has been characterised by distinct waves of regulation and deregulation, heavy private investment and public financing for infrastructure, research and development. Close links with energy and climate change–related policies, the dualfuel car revolution, liberal foreign direct investment policies and fiscal and financial incentives have also played important roles. Questions are being raised about human rights and environmental justice due to poor working conditions, land concentration and displacement of smallholders as well as environmental impacts, especially in South-Central and Northeastern Brazil. The sugarcane-ethanol industry has sought to address these claims through voluntary governance and certification mechanisms. The Brazilian Government has also taken decisive action to forbid sugarcane expansion into sensitive ecosystems. Recent biodiesel feedstock policies aimed at smallholders have delivered substantial savings (US$1 billion/year) by substituting diesel imports, and made progress towards ‘social inclusion’. But these programs have fallen short of targets, as the prevailing feedstock is still soybeans followed by beef tallow, with production and processing still concentrated in the hands of large-scale soybean farmers and cattle ranchers. Despite robust and well-intended environmental, rural development and fiscal policies to support smallholders, some policies are extremely difficult to enforce given structural constraints faced by smallholders and the lack of adequate governance mechanisms.
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spelling CGSpace208412025-01-24T14:11:53Z Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels Andrade, R.M.T. Miccolis, Andrew biofuels policies climate change This paper maps out and analyses the wide range of policies and players that have shaped the phenomenal rise of biofuels in Brazil, drawing comparisons between the ethanol and biodiesel industries. The sugarcane-ethanol sector’s expansion has been characterised by distinct waves of regulation and deregulation, heavy private investment and public financing for infrastructure, research and development. Close links with energy and climate change–related policies, the dualfuel car revolution, liberal foreign direct investment policies and fiscal and financial incentives have also played important roles. Questions are being raised about human rights and environmental justice due to poor working conditions, land concentration and displacement of smallholders as well as environmental impacts, especially in South-Central and Northeastern Brazil. The sugarcane-ethanol industry has sought to address these claims through voluntary governance and certification mechanisms. The Brazilian Government has also taken decisive action to forbid sugarcane expansion into sensitive ecosystems. Recent biodiesel feedstock policies aimed at smallholders have delivered substantial savings (US$1 billion/year) by substituting diesel imports, and made progress towards ‘social inclusion’. But these programs have fallen short of targets, as the prevailing feedstock is still soybeans followed by beef tallow, with production and processing still concentrated in the hands of large-scale soybean farmers and cattle ranchers. Despite robust and well-intended environmental, rural development and fiscal policies to support smallholders, some policies are extremely difficult to enforce given structural constraints faced by smallholders and the lack of adequate governance mechanisms. 2011 2012-06-04T09:15:14Z 2012-06-04T09:15:14Z Book https://hdl.handle.net/10568/20841 en Open Access Center for International Forestry Research Andrade, R.M.T., Miccolis, A. 2011. Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels . CIFOR Working Paper No.71. Bogor, Indonesia, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). 39p
spellingShingle biofuels
policies
climate change
Andrade, R.M.T.
Miccolis, Andrew
Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels
title Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels
title_full Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels
title_fullStr Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels
title_full_unstemmed Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels
title_short Policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of Brazilian biofuels
title_sort policies and institutional and legal frameworks in the expansion of brazilian biofuels
topic biofuels
policies
climate change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/20841
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