Reducing violence against defenders of the Amazon: a political economy approach
Written by TPP Principal Niki Palmer, this Working Paper examines why violence against environmental defenders in Brazil’s Amazon remains so widespread, despite laws meant to protect them. It shows that the issue is driven not only by political and economic interests in land and resource extraction, but also by competing ideas about what the Amazon represents.
For some, the Amazon is a vital global ecosystem; for others, a cultural homeland; and for many, a frontier of opportunity. These conflicting narratives shape behaviour, deepen polarisation and help explain why land-grabbing and violence often go unpunished.
The paper sets out three practical pathways that could shift incentives and improve protections:
- Strengthening the voice and influence of defenders
- Increasing the economic value placed on conservation, and
- Expanding international financing for forest protection.
It offers a clear, grounded analysis for readers looking to understand the dynamics driving violence in the Amazon and what might realistically change them.
Policy and Practice Brief 21: Pathways of Change
Our new Policy and Practice Brief by TPP Directors Gareth Williams and Neil McCulloch sets out the Pathways of Change framework, a practical link between political economy analysis and action. Using examples from Ghana and Thailand, it shows how external partners can support change driven by domestic actors, based on a realistic analysis of how change might happen.
Can we still achieve peace?
On the day US troops formally withdrew from Iraq, TPP Principal Niki Palmer asks if we can still achieve peace and suggests how to improve peacebuilding interventions.
Podcast: Subsidies and Social Protection - Reforms for a Sustainable Transition
Why are subsidies so difficult to reform, even when more effective alternatives exist? In this podcast by Socialprotection.org, TPP Director Neil McCulloch examines the political, institutional and economic challenges that have made subsidy reform one of the most complex issues in social policy.