Author and Institution:
Raoni Rajão, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Outline:
Deforestation is one of the main sources of greenhouse gasses, accounting for at least two-thirds of Brazil’s emissions (Greenpeace 2011). PRODES and DETER are two satellite-based monitoring systems used for policymaking and law enforcement in the Brazilian Amazon, which aim to curb deforestation and, hence, reduce emissions. Over the years the information from these systems has provided a key common ground for policy debates between agencies of the Brazilian government, environmental NGOs, and scientists, thus helping efforts to track and address climate change.
The case study of these systems emphasises the role of continuous political support, negotiation and transparency in the successful development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) for the monitoring of climate change.
