There is a growing global consensus that thoughtfully planned infrastructure investments can help developing countries address two critical challenges: boosting their economies and addressing the climate change crisis. Brazil, in particular, lags behind much of the world in the quality and quantity of infrastructure. The poor quality of Brazilian infrastructure results in needlessly complex and expensive logistics for businesses and poor mobility for citizens. This increases the costs of production and reduces growth and productivity.

In response, the Brazilian government intends to implement a broad portfolio of infrastructure investments. A number of these projects are located in the Amazon, which is the world’s largest tropical forest and provides vital ecosystem services that are essential for the national economy. Given the critical role infrastructure plays in the economic development and the importance of the Amazon, it is imperative to measure the social and environmental risks early on in the process and identify and design solutions to avoid, or mitigate, the risks to ensure the development of sustainable infrastructure that improves national logistics while minimizing their environmental impact.

The project, Sustainable Infrastructure in the Amazon, was developed by Climate Policy Initiative/Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro (CPI/PUC-Rio) and is supported by Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. The objective is to advance proposals for changes to current regulations and guidelines that would incorporate socio-environmental risk assessments throughout the decision-making processes and lifecycle of infrastructure projects. Guided by experts in these fields, the project will also promote dialogue with key stakeholders involved in decision-making and implementation of the regulatory proposals and guidelines.