Economics of Deforestation

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xv

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2. Introduction

   1. Introduction

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 1-5

3. Deforestation: Facts and Theories

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-7

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   2. Some Basic Concepts

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 9-25

   3. The Wealth of Theories

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 26-55

   4. Latin American Patterns of Deforestation

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 56-87

4. Ecuadorean Deforestation

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 89-89

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   2. A Closer Look

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 91-116

   3. Oil, Macroeconomics and Forests

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 117-137

5. Highland Land-Use Patterns

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 139-139

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   2. Deforestation: the Poor Man’s Lot?

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 141-163

   3. Felling the Forest for the Trees?

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 164-184

   4. Institutions and Policies

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 185-204

   5. Conclusion and Reflections

      • Sven Wunder

      Pages 205-232

6. Back Matter

   Pages 233-262

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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.

• Clearing
• economics
• economy
• ecosystem
• institutions
• science and technology
• Tropical forests

• Centre for Development Research, Copenhagen, Denmark

  Sven Wunder

SVEN WUNDER studied at the Universities of Copenhagen and Oxford. He works at the Centre for Development Research, Copenhagen, as a Senior Project Researcher and is author or co-author of several books on the subject of deforestation.

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