Politics and power in territorial planning: insights from two ‘Ecological-Economic Zoning’ multi-stakeholder processes in the Brazilian Amazon

Multi-stakeholder forums (MSFs) in territorial planning aim to foster collaborative and equitable land use development. However, conflicts and asymmetries can arise, potentially exacerbating existing issues. Through a comparative analysis of Ecological-Economic Zoning commissions in Acre and Mato Grosso, Brazil, this paper demonstrates that viewing MSFs as political processes rooted in powerful local social-environmental movements and alliances increases their effectiveness in achieving sustainability goals, as opposed to facing opposition from production-business alliances.