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Escaping deforestation lock-in: Leverage points for a sustainability transition in the Brazilian Amazon

Tropical deforestation remains an urgent environmental issue. Much of it is caused by the production of a few agricultural commodities (e.g., beef, soy), whose demand also provides entry points for change. However, growing zero-deforestation commitments from governments and companies are yet to spur effective action. Supply chain transparency and monitoring capabilities have seen major advances, but policy and governance have not kept pace. Tropical deforestation remains high, and there is a pressing need to understand what institutional innovations can help realize pledges. This research helps understand why so little progress has been achieved and discusses the innovations needed to drive change, drawing on sustainability transitions scholarship. Focusing on the Amazon – the largest expanse of tropical forest left on the planet – as a flagship case, it identifies leverage points in the Amazon’s current land-use regime and examines barriers and opportunities for scaling up innovations.