Outside abstract 4

Kenneth Andrasko et al

Kenneth Andrasko et al addresses the issue of deforestation in developing and developed countries as developing countries have “the largest source of emissions from the forestry sector”. The authors accomplish this by designating three varying causes for deforestation in developing areas that fall under “social, cultural, and macroeconomic” conditions. Although, through out the article, many plans are to be set by national institutions there are three barriers to reducing forest loss that the authors explain impede such plans.

The first obstacle is “profitability incentives” the idea being that conservation does not produce an influential amount of revenue as compared to other uses of forests. The second obstacle is that of “direct and indirect” causes outside of the forestry sector such as agriculture and markets. The third, and possibly most influential obstacle is insufficient monitoring systems used to regulate forest policies.

The article continues by giving examples of policies implemented in specific countries such as China, the Philippines, Thailand, and Brazil and the results of these plans in action. Beneficial results are seen in locations with strong government institutions with community support. Furthermore, if there is not a presence of a monitoring system used to insure that forest policies are kept then deforestation tends to increase as a result of uncertainties placed in market settings for wood products. Beneficial programs are shown as long as the three obstacles listed above do not meet them. Some of these are financial incentives to private landowners or the use of carbon markets.

This article provides information for the use of comparison in the effectiveness of forest policies. Also, it shows the details of public views of such policies.