Danielle Mendes Thame Denny

The idea of nature-based solutions (NbS) to climate change has gained significantattention and support in recent years. These solutions focus on using naturalecosystems and processes to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change,such as reforestation, wetland restoration, and sustainable agriculture practices.However, the implementation of nature-based solutions faces several legal, policy,and the administrative challenges of coordinating. These challenges include theneed for clear and consistent regulations, the allocation of rights andresponsibilities, the integration of nature-based solutions into existing legalframeworks. This paper adopted the approach of analyzing case studies fromdifferent countries to identify the key legal and policy barriers that hinder thewidespread adoption of nature-based solutions. The findings revealed that one ofthe main challenges is the lack of coordination among different governmentagencies responsible for implementing nature-based solutions. This often leads toconflicting regulations and a lack of clarity on the roles and responsibilities of eachagency. The paper highlights the need for stronger legal frameworks that prioritizeand incentivize nature-based solutions, as well as the importance of engaging localcommunities and stakeholders in the decision-making process to ensure successfulimplementation.

Summary: Given the increasing global demand for sustainable agricultural practices, there is a growing need to evaluate the effectiveness of governance mechanisms. This paper presents a case study analysis of voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) and their impact on maintaining soil health in the context of soybean production, specifically in the Brazilian Savannah (Cerrado biome). The sustainability of soybean production certified by VSS ProTerra and Roundtable on Responsible Soy was evaluated on 35 farms, considering factors such as land use, deforestation, cultivation methods, pesticide usage, and their effects on soil health. The assessment of these factors was conducted through a comprehensive methodology that included field visits, soil sampling and laboratory analysis, remote sensing techniques using satellite imagery, and structured interviews with farm managers. VSS are private governance mechanisms that establish quality standards to be followed in various areas. The study shows that the standards are generally respected on certified farms and, in particular, excluding deforestation. The VSS promote incremental improvements within the overall context of large-scale, business-as-usual agriculture by promoting practices that enhance soil fertility, reduce erosion, and optimise input use. These actions can contribute to stronger soil health, boosting resilience, and productivity. The urgency of reconciling food production with climate change mitigation and adaptation will increase interest in and demand for sustainable agriculture certification in the coming decades. Therefore, the monitoring and verification of the effectiveness of those standards, as shown in our study, are fundamental to provide true benefits, transparency, and confidence to the market.

A regularização fundiária no Brasil é um dos principais desafios a ser superado no país. Sem um titular é praticamente impossível responsabilizar alguém pelos crimes ambientais como queimadas e desmatamentos, pois o Estado não recebe tributos, as empresas não conseguem comprovar a rastreabilidade de suas cadeias produtivas e para os posseiros que estão trabalhando não há crédito, ou facilidades. Na mesma toada, o Pagamento por Serviços Ambientais (PSA) e a Agricultura de Baixa Emissão de Carbono trazem benefícios econômicos e sociais ao produtor e ao meio ambiente, além de mitigar as emissões de gases de efeito estufa na agropecuária. Desse modo, o objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar uma visão geral dos papéis da regularização fundiária e dos programas de PSA, além do Plano ABC+ e RenovAgro para o enfrentamento às mudanças climáticas no Brasil. Para isso, optou-se por uma pesquisa exploratória qualitativa, com revisão bibliográfica e documental e estudo de caso do MATOPIBA, buscando ampliar e detalhar a relevância dos aspectos citados. Como resultado, o artigo apresenta que a coordenação eficiente do uso das terras, aliada à regularização fundiária, é fundamental para enfrentar os desafios econômicos, ambientais e climáticos.

Latin America is a region with abundant natural resources and diverse cultures, much of which lies between the tropics. Sustainable agriculture, pasture, and forestry practices can have a reduced environmental impact in this region compared to other parts of the world. These integrated systems practices can create a balanced use of chemical inputs, harmonious relations between humans and soil-plants-livestock, and even provide a nature-based solution to climate change by sequestering carbon emissions and are also less likely to lead to soil degradation. These practices are central to a new economic paradigm focused on a sustainable and circular bioeconomy and depend on public policies, incentives, financial mechanisms, and commitments from the business. Carbon farming sustainable agriculture focused on increasing soil health and reducing emissions can gain scale with market-driven mechanisms to surpass the various challenges. This paper presents condensed information from primary and secondary sources, representing established knowledge in the field of soil carbon sequestration in agricultural lands and its role in carbon neutrality. By implementing these strategies, we can support farmers while contributing to the objectives set by the Paris Agreement and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. Received: 23 March 2023 | Revised: 25 August 2023 | Accepted: 20 January 2024 Conflicts of Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to this work. Data Availability Statement The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations at https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#home, and in Statista at https://www.statista.com/statistics/1227308/tree-cover-loss-global-drivers/. Author Contribution Statement Danielle Mendes Thame Denny: Conceptualization, Investigation, Writing – original draft. Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino Cerri: Resources, Writing – review & editing, Supervision, Funding acquisition. Maurício Roberto Cherubin: Validation, Data curation, Visualization, Project administration. Heloisa Lee Burnquist: Methodology, Formal analysis.

A preocupação socioambiental está prevista em vários acordos firmados na Organização Mundial do Comércio. Contudo a sua implementação na atualidade para coibir o dumping socioambiental por exemplo é um desafio. Essas barreiras são muitas vezes internas, ou seja, tradicionalmente submetidas à soberania dos estados membros e, portanto, de fora do âmbito de abrangência do multilateralismo da OMC. Contudo há casos que devem ser apontados como indicativos de mudança e a temática socioambiental foi objeto de diversos painéis do órgão de solução de controvérsias, a articulação de discussões temáticas e a participação de outros agentes além dos Estados nacionais, ainda que de forma indireta indicam mudanças. O artigo analisa a prática das barreiras técnicas e regulatórias, faz um resumo de alguns casos que foram objeto de decisão no Órgão de Solução de Controvérsias, discorre a respeito dos padrões de sustentabilidade voluntários e obrigatórios e termina com a constatação de que a participação da sociedade tem se dado de forma indireta, via estudos, consultorias e participação via amicus curiae. A abordagem foi qualitativa para descrever alguns casos de exemplificativos para fundamentar a possível constatação aqui trazida de que a OMC enfrenta o desafio estrutural de inserir preocupações socioambientais na sua forma de interpretação e na aplicação de suas regras e para tanto esforços precisam ser feitos para o aumento de sua legitimidade para lidar com questões transdisciplinares.