Video: Making land-use regulations more effective and just
Insights from CLEVER Researcher Rafaella F. Ziegert on the EUDR, land-use and policy interaction in Brazil
What happens when global trade regulations meet local realities? In this video interview, Rafaella Ferraz Ziegert, a researcher with the CLEVER project and PhD candidate at the University of Freiburg, shares her perspective on the EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) — the first transnational policy designed to reduce the EU’s contribution to deforestation and land degradation abroad. While the EUDR aims to protect forests, it may also lead to unintended consequences in producer countries like Brazil, especially when it overlaps or conflicts with existing national policies.
Rafaella draws on her experience conducting environmental impact assessments across Brazil— a vast country with abundant land, yet one that faces intense pressure to meet multiple demands: food production, climate regulation, carbon storage, and mineral extraction. The central challenge? How to manage land use in a way that supports both people and the planet.
Instead of framing it as a conflict between forest conservation and agriculture, Rafaella sees it as a “nexus”—a space where solutions can emerge when sectors work together. Through CLEVER, she investigates how land-use policies and regulations interact, and which combinations can lead to more sustainable outcomes.
Reflecting on her research, she shares three key takeaways:
- Territorial regulations may yield more sustainable results than specific supply chain policies.
- Transnational policies should build on efforts, systems and standards already in place in producer countries.
- Inclusive policy making—involving all actors in the different types of public and private regulation—is essential.
Want to learn more about CLEVER’s work and how EU regulations influence biodiversity abroad? Watch the video interview below:
Recommended reading:
- Blind spots in the EU’s Regulation on Deforestation-free products
- The EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products at odds with forest conservation in Brazil?
For more CLEVER interviews, check out our blog post: The hidden impact of EU soy imports on deforestation and biodiversity loss.