Giving Indigenous communities secure legal title to their land isn't just a human rights imperative — it protects forests. Researchers analyse forest loss and regrowth across Indigenous territories, comparing how land rights impact forest health.
The problem
Forests are crucial to our fight against climate change, absorbing vast amounts of carbon and protecting biodiversity — yet they are disappearing at an alarming rate. As forest restoration gains momentum, ensuring existing forests remain standing is equally essential. But not all trees are equal, and not all forest protection effective. Research shows that externally led plantation efforts can be problematic for the climate and local communities, while economic theory suggests insecure land tenure for Indigenous occupants drives poor economic outcomes and wasteful forest degradation. What remains critical to understand is whether securing that title in real, legal terms translates to healthier forests.
The research
Focusing on the Amazon* rainforest in Brazil, researchers analyse how collective property rights impact forest outcomes. Using econometric techniques and satellite data spanning 1982 to 2016, the studies compare deforestation and forest regrowth trends across Indigenous territories with and without secure legal recognition. Legally recognised territories not only reduce deforestation within their boundaries but also show higher regrowth on previously cleared land — with formal title, rather than Indigenous presence alone, emerging as the key driver of effective forest management.
The impact
The research has clear global significance. It provides the rigorous causal evidence underpinning major international policy calls to action: the IPCC has cited this body of work in calling for the strengthening of Indigenous land tenure as a critical climate mitigation strategy — deeming it essential to holding global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The findings show that collective property rights are among the most cost-effective tools for forest conservation, protecting existing forests and enabling community-led restoration at scale. And the case for action is not only environmental: legally recognising Indigenous territories is, above all, a human rights imperative.
*Aside from its importance for global biodiversity and carbon sequestration, the Amazon is a rare and ideal site to compare forests on Indigenous lands that have and do not have property rights, due to Brazil’s piecemeal Indigenous land titling program.
Department: Economics
Area: deforestation, climate change, Indigenous Territories
Researchers
Sustainable Development Goals
We align our research activity with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).