The Gran Chaco: Pathways Towards a Sustainable Future

This paper was originally published by the World Economic Forum.

The Gran Chaco is one of the world’s largest dry forest ecosystems. Spanning Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay, it is a critical carbon sink, biodiversity hotspot, driver of economic opportunity and home to 5.6 million Indigenous people. In the past two decades, it has lost 13 million hectares of forest, mostly to agricultural expansion. But this report tells a story of potential. It shows how sustainable production and forest protection need not be at odds. Instead, they can reinforce each other – if the incentives and governance are right.