Prof. Eduardo Brondizio
Indiana University-Bloomington
 

Discussant Dr. Antonio Ioris
Cardiff University

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This presentation reflects on the opportunities and challenges of place-based sustainability initiatives in the Amazon in light of development inequalities, global markets, and climate change. The context is set with an overview of the findings of the Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). It then introduces the AGENTS project (Amazonian Governance to Enable Transformation to Sustainability), which has been documenting local-level initiatives across the Brazilian Amazon. These are place-based initiatives in rural areas pursuing changes in productive systems, governance arrangements, value-aggregation and access to markets with the goals of improving living standards and environmental sustainability. The presentation examines challenges and opportunities for local initiatives at the intersection with historical and current trends in economic development and policies in the region.

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This lecture took place on 30 April 2021 as part of the CEDLA Lecture Series.