ABOUT US

The Centre for Remote Sensing at the Institute of Geosciences is an Institutional Research Laboratory of UFMG that conducts research in analysis and modeling of environmental systems, including their applications in the design and evaluation of public policies.

ABOUT OUR WORK

Our research consists of environmental modeling, in particular the development of models to simulate changes in land use and cover, agricultural and forest rents, urban dynamics, forest fire, fluvial regime and carbon balance. The applications of these models involve the valuation of ecosystem services, development of sustainable supply chains, territorial planning and the design of public policies, as well as ex-ante evaluation of the impact of these policies (see publications). Other important products of our research are the software DINAMICA EGO, a platform for environmental modeling, and mappia.earth, a set of tools for building interactive map servers.

Access the summary of activities developed at the Centre for Remote Sensing:

LATEST NEWS

Identificação de propriedades pecuárias a partir da integração de dados sanitários e ambientais em Minas Gerais

The Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária (IMA), in partnership with CSR and the Centro Institucional de Tecnologia e Inovação Modelagem Ambiental (CT-Modelagem), has published a technical note demonstrating how the integration of data from the SeloVerde MG platform enhances the official veterinary service’s response capacity by transforming cadastral, animal health, and environmental records into geospatial information that can be applied to emergency management. Read here.

Distribution of Tropical Vegetation From the Pliocene to the Anthropocene

A study published by CSR researchers in the Journal of Biogeography reconstructs tropical vegetation over the past 3.3 million years and shows that projected changes by 2050 are comparable in magnitude to the most dramatic period of the Pliocene—but compressed into just a few decades. Using machine learning algorithms and paleoclimatic data, the research team emulated how forests, savannas, deserts, and wetlands were redistributed across the tropics over eleven time intervals, covering all tropical regions of the world. Read the article here.

Restoration Contexts and Trends in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Evidence from Science and Practice

CSR researchers published a study analyzing scientific evidence and Atlantic Forest restoration initiatives. Published in Environmental Management, the article shows that some restoration areas have achieved important advances, although they have not yet reached the levels observed in mature forests. The study also highlights social benefits associated with ecosystem recovery, including income generation, job creation, and capacity building. At the same time, it points to the need for more standardized indicators and long-term monitoring to better assess these impacts. Read the full article here.

AI Summit MG 2026

The Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), in partnership with Perfil Global, NVIDIA, and Intel, will host the AI Summit MG 2026 on June 25. The event will focus on Artificial Intelligence and Supercomputing in the state of Minas Gerais. The program features lectures on innovative AI applications across a wide range of fields and disciplines. Confirmed speakers include Alex Castellano, NVIDIA’s Channel Director; Nando Lemes, international business specialist and Director of Perfil Global; Sônia Carvalho, professor at UFMG’s Institute of Geosciences; as well as a representative from Intel. Participation is free of charge, and registration can be completed through this link.

Consulta CAR TO Platform is launched

On June 9, 2026, Tocantins launched Consulta CAR TO, an automated diagnostic system for the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR). Developed in partnership with CSR, CT-Modelagem, and the Territorial Intelligence Center, the platform was customized based on the CAR 2.0 and SeloVerde technologies to meet the specific needs of the State of Tocantins. Click here to access the platform and learn more about this new technology developed.

Boletim do Ouro: 2015-2026

A new study conducted by the Centre for Remote Sensing (CSR-UFMG) indicates a decline in illegal gold mining activities following improvements in gold traceability systems and strengthened environmental enforcement efforts across the Amazon region. Despite the reduction in illegal practices within Brazil’s gold production sector, the Bulletin warns that the problem has not been fully eradicated. Instead, illegal mining activities have increasingly shifted to more vulnerable areas, particularly Indigenous Territories. Read it here.

LATEST VIDEOS

A CSR researcher presents, in a video, the results of a study on bird distribution in the Amazon.
Watch here.
Video presents the results of the BIOMINAS Project on the traceability of the pequi and buriti sociobiodiversity value chains.
Watch here.
Video presents the results of the BIOMINAS Project on the traceability of the pinhão and palmito juçara sociobiodiversity value chains.
Watch here.
Video footage from fieldwork conducted by CSR researchers in the Pantanal showcases the biome’s landscapes, wildlife, and flora.
Watch it here.