Sustainability Transitions in Global Value Chains in the Amazon: Improving Governance in the Cosmetics, Meat and Fish Sectors

This multidisciplinary project brings together researchers from University of Manchester (AMBS/MIOIR and SEED/GDI) working on sustainability innovations and GVCs with researchers from FGV/EAESP, the Federal University of Para and the Instituto Jurua to study sustainability transitions and public and private sustainability governance within the GVCs supplying Brazilian meat, fish and cosmetics production chains.

Project description

Promoting sustainability is the key challenge confronting global value chains (GVCs) and enshrined as part of many of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This challenge is especially exigent in the Brazilian Amazon region where deforestation and encroachments not only undermine the capacity of the Amazon rainforests to act as a global carbon sink, but also degrade the livelihoods of indigenous communities.

The Amazon region is increasingly incorporated into commercialised production that feeds diverse GVCs in agro-commodities, aquaculture and non-timber forest products. Sectors that have grown rapidly in the region, with important social, economic and environmental impacts, include livestock, fisheries and cosmetics supply.

Activities in these sectors significantly impact efforts towards more sustainable development in the region, depending on how GVCs are governed. Multiple Brazilian firms have emerged as global leaders, including organising their own GVCs that feed into Brazilian and worldwide markets.

Sustainability transitions within these sectors require not only technological shifts, including bioeconomy innovations, but also changes in production and consumption practices drawing on circular economy modes of organisation, and new regulatory governance forms by lead firms, regional and national governments and international trade rules and standards.

The work undertaken as part of this exchange will advance conceptualisation of sustainability governance in GVCs as well as provide deeper understanding of the engagement between sustainability innovations and the local economic, societal and environmental impacts within the Amazon region, and across GVC value streams that link production and consumption between the Amazon and metropolitan complexes. University and Utrecht University MOIP Observatory, the Netherlands).


Project Team

 

  • Jose Puppim (FGV): FGV project lead – focusing on sustainability transitions and local governance.
  • Luciana Vieira (FGV): FGV Co-PI – working in food value chains (meat and fish) and sustainability.
  • Umesh Mukhi (FGV): Analysing business strategy and local stakeholder management.
  • Andre Carvalho (FGV): Environmental management and cosmetics sector.
  • Aron Belinky (FGV): Engaging Brazilian business in the co-production of our research efforts.