International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Science (IJAERS) [Vol-5, Issue-6, Jun- 2018] https://dx.doi.org/10.22161/ijaers.5.6.13 ISSN: 2349-6495(P) | 2456-1908(O) www.ijaers.com Page | 84 Removal of vegetation in the state of Mato Grosso: a perspective based on the actions of IBAMA between 1998 and 2016 R. Miranda, M. Avila, L. Vieira, R. Ribeiro, T. Jacobson, L. G. Oliveira University of Brasília (UnB), University Area, 01, Vila Nossa Senhora de Fátima, Planaltina, Brasília, DF, 73345-010, Brazil Corresponding author: Dr. Luiz Guilherme de Oliveira, e-mail: lgoliveira@unb.br Address: Área Universitária, 01, Vila Nossa Senhora de Fátima - Planaltina - Planaltina, Brasília - DF, 73345-010, Brazil Abstract— The State of Mato Grosso in the Midwest region of Brazil has, in recent decades, become the main area of agricultural production in the country. 1 By positioning itself as the new agricultural frontier, the state has instigated a constant conflict between agriculture and environmental protection. In this context, this study briefly discusses and analyzes deforestation in the region based on data on sanctions issued by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources; IBAMA), the Brazilian environmental regulatory and inspection agency, between 1998 and 2016. Annual vegetation removal reached its highest values in 2003 and 2004 (1,109 km 2 ) and then decreased from 2005 to 2008 (4,353 km 2 ) before stabilizing at the lowest level between 2009 and 2016 (1,138 km 2 ). Keywords— Brazil, forest, deforestation, biodiverse, environmental. I. INTRODUCTION The State of Mato Grosso in the Midwest region of Brazil has, in recent decades, become the main area of agricultural production in the country. 2 By positioning itself as the new agricultural frontier, the state has instigated a constant conflict between agriculture and environmental protection. In this context, this study briefly discusses and analyzes deforestation in the region based on data on sanctions issued by the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (Brazilian Institute for the Environment 1 According to CONAB (the National Supply Company), the 2016/2017 estimated grain crop yield for Mato Grosso State was approximately 52.7 million tons. 2 According to CONAB (the National Supply Company), the 2016/2017 estimated grain crop yield for Mato Grosso State was approximately 52.7 million tons. and Renewable Natural Resources; IBAMA), the Brazilian environmental regulatory and inspection agency, between 1998 and 2016. Annual vegetation removal reached its highest values in 2003 and 2004 (1,109 km 2 ) and then decreased from 2005 to 2008 (4,353 km 2 ) before stabilizing at the lowest level between 2009 and 2016 (1,138 km 2 ). A total of 1,593 lawsuit filings were registered, with 70% of the individuals and/or entities receiving a formal notification and 58 individuals receiving two notifications; furthermore, the same individual/entity received 16 notifications. The actions were concentrated in the center and north of the state, with a high concentration of notifications in the municipalities of Cotriguaçu, Querência and Nova Ubiratã, and there was a negative relationship between the number of legal notifications and the total deforested area. Vegetation removal was higher in the areas with fewer notifications, which could have been due to the positive impact of supervision and penalties in reducing deforestation. However, these notifications could also have been associated with the increasing number of areas devoted to large-scale agriculture for export. II. INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT, REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND DEFORESTATION According to the Ministry of the Environment (2010), Brazil is a “forested country,” with 60.7% of its territory consisting of natural and planted forest, and a significant portion of this forest, especially natural forest, is in the northern region of the country, which is characterized by the Amazonian biome. Although Brazil contains the most biodiverse biome in the world, it has been considered the world leader in deforestation, converting an average of 19 million km 2 of natural vegetation to agriculture between 1996 and 2005 and emitting between 0.7 to 1.4 Gt of CO2 into the atmosphere (Nepstad et al. 2009).