The Causes of Tropical Deforestation

The rapid destruction of tropical forests is one of the most pressing environmental problems of our time, but the international community and national governments are unable to formulate effective policy responses without a clear understanding of the causes of deforestation. This comprehensive and coherent account presents the 'state of the art' econometric analysis of tropical deforestation, quantifying and examining the local and underlying global causes. The contributors are distinguished authors from developed and developing countries, and are based in research institutions and international agencies. They provide a global view of key issues such as population, debt, income and poverty and agricultural development. In addition, country and regional case studies are presented, focusing on the causes of deforestation in Latin America and Asia, and the role of the tropical timber trade is subjected to particular scrutiny. The book offers rigorous quantitative analysis at the global, regional and country levels, and dispels some of the myths which surround tropical deforestation. It improves our understanding of the forces driving global environmental degradation, and is testament to the belief that many, though not all, of the explanations for it lie in the workings of national and international economies. This important and timely book should appeal particularly to environmental and resource economists, development planners, foresters and others concerned with global environmental issues. It will also be of strong interest to graduate and undergraduate students of economics, environmental science, ecology and forestry, and those following courses in development studies and agricultural development.