This paper studies the interactions between political and economic incentives to foster forest conversion in Indonesian districts. Using a district-level panel data set from 2001 to 2016, we analyze variation in remotely sensed forest loss and forest fires as well as measures of land use licensing. We link these outcomes to economic incentives to expand oil palm cultivation areas as well as political incentives arising before idiosyncratically-timed local mayoral elections. Empirical results document substantial increases in deforestation and forest fires in the year prior to local elections. Additionally, oil palm plays a crucial role in driving deforestation dynamics. Variations in global market prices of palm oil are closely linked to deforestation in areas which are geo-climatically best suited for growing oil palm and they amplify the importance of the political cycle. We thus find clear evidence for economic and political incentives reinforcing each other as drivers of forest loss and land conversion for oil palm cultivation.
{"title":"Palm Oil and the Politics of Deforestation in Indonesia","authors":"E. Cisneros, Krisztina Kis-Katos, N. Nuryartono","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.3547436","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3547436","url":null,"abstract":"This paper studies the interactions between political and economic incentives to foster forest conversion in Indonesian districts. Using a district-level panel data set from 2001 to 2016, we analyze variation in remotely sensed forest loss and forest fires as well as measures of land use licensing. We link these outcomes to economic incentives to expand oil palm cultivation areas as well as political incentives arising before idiosyncratically-timed local mayoral elections. Empirical results document substantial increases in deforestation and forest fires in the year prior to local elections. Additionally, oil palm plays a crucial role in driving deforestation dynamics. Variations in global market prices of palm oil are closely linked to deforestation in areas which are geo-climatically best suited for growing oil palm and they amplify the importance of the political cycle. We thus find clear evidence for economic and political incentives reinforcing each other as drivers of forest loss and land conversion for oil palm cultivation.","PeriodicalId":197311,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Deforestation (Topic)","volume":"56 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2021-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122497943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2019-05-02DOI: 10.18764/2178-2865.V23N1P402-420
Hauradou Gladson Rosas, Maria Virgínia Borges Amara
A Região Amazônica brasileira tem sido apresentada ao mundo como reduto de ecossistemas, de espécies de seres vivos ainda não catalogados e dos já catalogados, que expressam potencial econômico abundante para atender aos anseios do ardil capitalista contemporâneo. Sobressai na região, ainda, o histórico processo de extração mineral, que atualmente na condição de commodittes (mercadorias) as quais representam, na sua totalidade, parte importante da produção nacional, 6,8% do PIB brasileiro o que equivale a 65% do valor das exportações brasileiras. Neste estudo destacamos que a presença dessas empresas na região conforma um quadro de exploração da riqueza oriunda da natureza de modo que os ganhos reais se voltam para atender à rentabilidade capitalista em detrimento das condições e modos de vida dos sujeitos históricos presentes na região para os quais sobram as consequências deletérias da forma de ser do capital e o acirramento das desigualdades ao nível local em suas muitas dimensões. Palavras-chave: Capital. Amazônia. Mineração. Commodittes.
{"title":"MINERAÇÃO NA AMAZÔNIA BRASILEIRA: aspectos da presença e avanço do capital na região (Mining in Brazilian Amazon: Aspects of Capital Presence and Advancement in the Region)","authors":"Hauradou Gladson Rosas, Maria Virgínia Borges Amara","doi":"10.18764/2178-2865.V23N1P402-420","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.18764/2178-2865.V23N1P402-420","url":null,"abstract":"A Região Amazônica brasileira tem sido apresentada ao mundo como reduto de ecossistemas, de espécies de seres vivos ainda não catalogados e dos já catalogados, que expressam potencial econômico abundante para atender aos anseios do ardil capitalista contemporâneo. Sobressai na região, ainda, o histórico processo de extração mineral, que atualmente na condição de commodittes (mercadorias) as quais representam, na sua totalidade, parte importante da produção nacional, 6,8% do PIB brasileiro o que equivale a 65% do valor das exportações brasileiras. Neste estudo destacamos que a presença dessas empresas na região conforma um quadro de exploração da riqueza oriunda da natureza de modo que os ganhos reais se voltam para atender à rentabilidade capitalista em detrimento das condições e modos de vida dos sujeitos históricos presentes na região para os quais sobram as consequências deletérias da forma de ser do capital e o acirramento das desigualdades ao nível local em suas muitas dimensões. Palavras-chave: Capital. Amazônia. Mineração. Commodittes.","PeriodicalId":197311,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Deforestation (Topic)","volume":"237 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"133965990","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Spratt, P. Kargbo, E. Marfo, Emmanuel Ngungoh, S. Ramcilovik-Suominen
This research explores the impacts that REDD+ could have on forest tax systems in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and considers how policy could be designed to increase the chances that these impacts are positive. To assess this, a methodological framework is identified and adapted. The framework has been used to explore how the implementation of a new policy regime affects the interests and thus behaviours of actors in related, existing regimes. The implementation of REDD+ in relation to forest tax systems seems well suited to such an approach. The countries concerned are Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone. While they are at different stages of the process, a common finding is that long-term impacts will depend on the detail of REDD+ design and implementation, and that many of the most important decisions have yet to be taken. Domestically, the key outstanding questions are: the extent of stakeholder participation in the design and implementation of programmes; how equitably financial benefits are distributed; whether REDD+ coverage is restricted to forest areas that are already protected, or extended to areas currently used for commercial forestry; how monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) is implemented and whether this overlaps with forestry reporting practices; whether REDD+ is implemented nationally or locally; and whether existing or new channels are used.
{"title":"Forest Taxation and REDD+: An Analysis of Potential Impacts in Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone","authors":"S. Spratt, P. Kargbo, E. Marfo, Emmanuel Ngungoh, S. Ramcilovik-Suominen","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.3149491","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3149491","url":null,"abstract":"This research explores the impacts that REDD+ could have on forest tax systems in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and considers how policy could be designed to increase the chances that these impacts are positive. To assess this, a methodological framework is identified and adapted. The framework has been used to explore how the implementation of a new policy regime affects the interests and thus behaviours of actors in related, existing regimes. The implementation of REDD+ in relation to forest tax systems seems well suited to such an approach. The countries concerned are Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone. While they are at different stages of the process, a common finding is that long-term impacts will depend on the detail of REDD+ design and implementation, and that many of the most important decisions have yet to be taken. Domestically, the key outstanding questions are: the extent of stakeholder participation in the design and implementation of programmes; how equitably financial benefits are distributed; whether REDD+ coverage is restricted to forest areas that are already protected, or extended to areas currently used for commercial forestry; how monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) is implemented and whether this overlaps with forestry reporting practices; whether REDD+ is implemented nationally or locally; and whether existing or new channels are used.","PeriodicalId":197311,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Deforestation (Topic)","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2018-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128932767","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this paper, we use an integrated assessment model to examine the implications of not recognizing, and partially recognizing forest carbon in climate policy. Specifically, we investigate the impact of an asymmetric carbon policy that recognizes emissions from fossil fuels while ignoring emissions from forests. We additionally investigate the relative importance of not recognizing positive emissions from a reduction in the stock of forest biomass, or of not recognizing negative emissions from the growth of forest biomass. We show that asymmetric carbon policies lead to lower levels of welfare, as well as higher emissions and carbon prices. This occurs because the forest resource will be allocated inefficiently under these carbon policies. Broadly, we find that when the social planner does not account for neither positive or negative forest emissions, the planner will set bioenergy levels that are too high and afforestation and avoided deforestation levels that are too low. Our results further reveal that not recognizing forest emissions leads to larger welfare losses than not recognizing sequestration.
{"title":"Pricing Forest Carbon: Implications of Asymmetry in Climate Policy","authors":"Mathilda Eriksson, R. Brännlund, T. Lundgren","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.2770344","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2770344","url":null,"abstract":"In this paper, we use an integrated assessment model to examine the implications of not recognizing, and partially recognizing forest carbon in climate policy. Specifically, we investigate the impact of an asymmetric carbon policy that recognizes emissions from fossil fuels while ignoring emissions from forests. We additionally investigate the relative importance of not recognizing positive emissions from a reduction in the stock of forest biomass, or of not recognizing negative emissions from the growth of forest biomass. We show that asymmetric carbon policies lead to lower levels of welfare, as well as higher emissions and carbon prices. This occurs because the forest resource will be allocated inefficiently under these carbon policies. Broadly, we find that when the social planner does not account for neither positive or negative forest emissions, the planner will set bioenergy levels that are too high and afforestation and avoided deforestation levels that are too low. Our results further reveal that not recognizing forest emissions leads to larger welfare losses than not recognizing sequestration.","PeriodicalId":197311,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Deforestation (Topic)","volume":"92 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-04-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"124219148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Comparing three rural townships in Northern Sichuan, this paper analyses the challenges and the constraints associated with forest protection and biodiversity conservation programs in China. We highlight the importance of the local economic and institutional environment in the effectiveness of implementation of the national guidelines and the diversity in possible answers at the local level. The natural forest protection program and the sloping land conversion program analyzed in this paper, also stress the difficulty to implement effective and sustainable forest resources protection policies as well as the strategic role of the government in the implementation of such policies.
{"title":"Forest Conservation Policies and Rural Livelihood in North Sichuan Tibetan Areas","authors":"S. Démurger, M. Fournier, Guozhen Shen","doi":"10.2139/ssrn.876870","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.876870","url":null,"abstract":"Comparing three rural townships in Northern Sichuan, this paper analyses the challenges and the constraints associated with forest protection and biodiversity conservation programs in China. We highlight the importance of the local economic and institutional environment in the effectiveness of implementation of the national guidelines and the diversity in possible answers at the local level. The natural forest protection program and the sloping land conversion program analyzed in this paper, also stress the difficulty to implement effective and sustainable forest resources protection policies as well as the strategic role of the government in the implementation of such policies.","PeriodicalId":197311,"journal":{"name":"PSN: Deforestation (Topic)","volume":"2 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2005-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"122332463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}