Assessing multidimensional sustainability: Lessons from Brazil's social protection programs.

Area of Science:

• Social science research
• Environmental science
• Development economics

Background:

• Rigorous evidence on the social and environmental outcomes of sustainable development policies is scarce.
• Understanding linkages among multiple sustainable development outcomes is crucial for sustainability transitions.
• Brazil's Zero Hunger (ZH) program is a flagship social protection initiative targeting food insecurity and poverty.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the social and environmental outcomes of Brazil's Zero Hunger program.
• To assess the impact of social protection investment on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, and 3.
• To evaluate potential negative environmental consequences on SDGs 13 and 15.

Main Methods:

• National-level analysis of Brazil's Zero Hunger program.
• Quasi-experimental causal inference techniques using data from rural Brazilian municipalities.
• Assessment of relationships between social protection investment and specific SDG outcomes and environmental indicators.

Main Results:

• Summed ZH investment increased protein and kilocalorie production but did not significantly alleviate child malnutrition, infant mortality, or multidimensional poverty.
• Higher investment led to increased natural vegetation cover in some biomes but caused losses in the Cerrado and Pampa.
• Subprogram impacts varied: Bolsa Familia (BF) had mixed results, while PRONAF was associated with poverty alleviation and increased food production.

Conclusions:

• Brazil's Zero Hunger program demonstrates variable outcomes across different dimensions of food security and poverty.
• Synergies and trade-offs exist between social protection, food security, and environmental sustainability goals.
• Policy development can benefit from understanding the nuanced impacts of specific program elements like BF and PRONAF.