1st Edition

Oil Wealth and the Fate of the Forest A Comparative Study of Eight Tropical Countries

By Sven Wunder Copyright 2003

    Reduction in the size of the world's remaining rainforests is an issue of huge importance for all societies. This new book - an analysis of the impact of oil wealth on tropical deforestation in South America, Africa and Asia - takes a much more analytical approach than the usual fare of environmental studies.

    The focus on economies as a whole leads to a more balanced view than those that are often put forward and therefore, vitally, a view that is more valid. Of use to those who study environmental issues and economics, this book is potentially an indispensable tool for policy-makers the world over.

    Introduction  1. The Malady of Prosperity  2. The Impact of Oil Wealth on Forests  3. Defining and Measuring Changing Forest Conditions  4. Gabon  5. Venezuela  6. Cameroon  7. Ecuador  8. Papua New Guinea  9. More Tales of Oil Wealth and Forests: Mexico, Nigeria and Indonesia  10. Comparison, Conclusions and Recommendations

    Biography

    Sven Wunder is Scientist and Senior Economist at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), Indonesia.

    'The importance of the author's conclusions cannot be understated as it gives a favourable impression of the extractive industries and challenges the environmental activists who automatically wage campaigns against them.' - Robert Arnott, The Journal of Energy Literature X. 1 2004 - The Journal of Energy Literature

    'Overall the book provides an in-depth insight into the economy of the countries analysed, and is a very topical and accessible book with numerous implications for policy formulation to decide what can be done to deminish deforestation without jeopardising economic growth.' - Robert Arnott, The Journal of Energy Literature X. 1 2004 - The Journal of Energy Literature