The Economics of Deforestation (St.Antony's S.)

Despite considerable international attention in the field of forest conservation, tropical forests are still disappearing at an unprecedented pace. This book gives an economic perspective to the analysis of deforestation. Following a survey of different deforestation definitions, theories and empirical evidence, a case-study of Ecuador provides a versatile historical picture of factors influencing forest loss throughout different periods, regions and ecosystems. Policy and market failures alone cannot explain rapid deforestation. A root cause is that, with current technologies, market prices and disparate stakeholder interests, natural forest uses in Ecuador tend to yield less income than alternative (mainly agro-pastoral) land uses. The deforestation cycle follows a composite economic rationale, based on wood extraction, agriculture and cattle ranching. Though a slower pace of deforestation seems rational for the Ecuadorean state, on the basis of precautionary considerations, substantial success in curbing forest loss can only be achieved when payments for global forest benefits are implemented, as an integral element of effective conservation incentives on the ground. Contents......Page 6 List of Tables......Page 9 List of Figures......Page 10 List of Abbreviations......Page 11 Foreword......Page 14 Introduction......Page 17 Part I. Deforestation: Facts and Theories......Page 23 1. Some Basic Concepts......Page 25 2. The Wealth of Theories......Page 42 3. Latin American Patterns of Deforestation......Page 72 Part II. Ecuadorean Deforestation......Page 105 4. A Closer Look......Page 107 5. Oil, Macroeconomics and Forests......Page 133 Part III. Highland Land-Use Patterns......Page 155 6. Deforestation: the Poor Man's Lot?......Page 157 7. Felling the Forest for the Trees?......Page 180 8. Institutions and Policies......Page 201 9. Conclusion and Reflections......Page 221 Bibliography......Page 249 Name Index......Page 266 Subject Index......Page 268 Tropical forests are disappearing at an unaltered pace, giving way to alternative land uses. This book gives an economic perspective on deforestation. Following a survey of different deforestation definitions, theories and empirical evidence, a case-study of Ecuador provides a versatile historical picture of factors affecting forest loss throughout different periods, regions and ecosystems. It is shown that policy and market failures alone cannot explain rapid deforestation; decision-makers follow a composite economic rationale in their continuous clearing of forests which can only be counteracted by concerted action. "This book gives an economic perspective to the analysis of deforestation. Following a survey of different deforestation definitions, theories and empirical evidence, a case-study of Ecuador provides a versatile historical picture of factors influencing forest loss throughout different periods, regions and ecosystems."--BOOK JACKET.