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Published on: July 24, 2016
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Bigger is better: Improved nature conservation and economic returns from landscape-level mitigation
Christina M Kennedy1, Daniela A Miteva2, Leandro Baumgarten3
1Global Conservation Lands Program, The Nature Conservancy, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA.
Science Advances
|July 16, 2016
Summary
Landscape-level planning for environmental impact mitigation, like Brazil
Area of Science:
- Ecology and Environmental Science
- Conservation Biology
- Environmental Economics
Background:
- Impact mitigation strategies are shifting from project-specific to landscape-level planning to balance development and conservation.
- Empirical evidence supporting the cost-effectiveness and conservation benefits of landscape-level planning remains limited.
- Sugarcane expansion in the Brazilian Cerrado presents a relevant case study for evaluating mitigation policy effectiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the conservation and economic benefits of the Brazilian Forest Code (FC) using both landscape- and property-level planning.
- To compare the cost-effectiveness of landscape-level versus property-level mitigation planning in the context of sugarcane expansion.
Main Methods:
- Economic and biophysical steady-state models were employed.
- The study focused on commercial sugarcane expansion in the Brazilian Cerrado.
- Quantified benefits included species support, carbon storage, and water quality improvements.
Main Results:
- Brazilian Forest Code (FC) compliance incurs minor business costs but yields substantial ecological benefits, including support for additional species and significant carbon sequestration.
- Estimated carbon storage gains range from 593,000 to 2,280,000 tons, valued between $69 million and $265 million.
- Landscape-level planning reduces business costs by $19–$35 million per cycle compared to property-level planning, while often enhancing conservation outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Landscape-level mitigation planning offers a more cost-effective approach to conservation compared to property-level planning.
- This approach can effectively promote sustainable development by integrating economic activities with environmental protection.
- The findings provide empirical justification for adopting landscape-level strategies in environmental policy and impact mitigation.
Keywords:
Impact mitigationagricultural expansionbiodiversityecosystem servicesland-use planningland-use policylandscape conservationMore Related Videos
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