For years, Brazil has appeared reluctant to join global efforts to curb greenhouse-gas emissions through forest conservation. Specifically, it has balked at embracing Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (Redd) programs, which seek to achieve the goal set forth in their name by providing financial and market incentives in return for woodland protection. A major reason for the recalcitrance has been government concern that the conservation commitments might limit future economic development—for instance, by preventing land clearing needed to expand cropland. Lately, however, the government has come under growing pressure domestically to embrace Redd, which features conservation incentives ranging from carbon credits to outright donations. Since July, it has received two weighty letters to that effect—one from nine Amazon state governors... [Log in to read more]