Brazil field study 4: Deeper understanding

Spending time in Brazil is giving us a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities in financing biodiversity conservation—insights we never could have fully grasped from home. While research and theory provide an important foundation, for us being on the ground and speaking directly with stakeholders that work with these questions everyday across different sectors offers another perspective.

We have had the chance to engage with individuals from private corporations investing in conservation and restoration projects, government officials working on policy frameworks, NGOs and think tanks shaping the discussion, as well as those directly involved in on-the-ground initiatives. This has provided us with a broader perspective on the role of finance in forest restoration and conservation in Brazil from multiple angles.

Biodiversity, economy and society

One of the key takeaways so far is how deeply intertwined Brazil’s biodiversity, economy, and society are. As we mentioned before with 70 percent of the population living in the Atlantic Forest biome, nature isn’t just something to protect—it’s something people actively depend on for water, agriculture, and livelihoods which adds to the complexity. We’ve seen firsthand how degraded landscapes, once rainforests, now stand as reminders of historical land-use decisions. But at the same time, we’ve also witnessed efforts of projects actively restoring these ecosystems, proving that nature can regenerate faster than we expected when given the right conditions.

Another important realization is the complexity of engaging the private sector in conservation efforts. From our interviews, we found that while some companies are already incorporating nature into their business models, many still struggle to recognize their dependence on biodiversity. There is a need for new policies and regulatory frameworks that can work together with innovative financial mechanisms like biodiversity credits, but they still face difficulty in implementation on a larger scale.  

Uncertain land ownership a challenge

Perhaps one of the most eye-opening lessons so far is the challenge of land tenure security in Brazil. From a distance, it’s easy to talk about investment opportunities, but on the ground, we see how uncertain land ownership can slow down financial flows into restoration projects. Policies exist, but enforcement remains a challenge in such a vast and diverse country.

Being here, seeing the landscapes, and speaking directly with experts is giving us a richer, more realistic perspective on biodiversity finance. We’re excited to continue learning and uncovering how financial solutions can play a role in protecting and restoring Brazil’s forests.

When in Rio…

On another note, while in Rio de Janeiro, we took the opportunity to be tourists. We visited Christ the Redeemer and experienced the vibrant atmosphere of the world’s biggest Carnival.

Jennie Utterberg & Hanna Kysela, master´s students School of Business, Economics & Law, University of Gothenburg