Tropical land use change, biodiversity loss and inequality

Edward B. Barbier

Chapter 2 in Elgar Companion on Inequality and Natural Resources, 2026, pp 18-27 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: Tropical land use change and biodiversity loss impact inequality in two significant ways. First, the financial gains from rent seeking that foster deforestation accrue mainly to the wealthy, whereas the costs of land use change and natural landscape decline are often borne by the rural poor. Second, loss of ecosystems and biodiversity affect directly the livelihoods and welfare of the rural poor, and indirectly through the health and human capital effects of air pollution from burning land, climate change and increased risk of disease outbreaks. In addition, efforts to expand carbon offsets in tropical forests through nature-based solutions may not generate sufficient biodiversity, ecosystem and income benefits to local communities. Agricultural subsidies that are responsible for significant tropical deforestation could be repurposed to nature-based solutions and climate-smart agriculture better targeted at the rural poor.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Developing Countries; Inequality; Land Use Change; Rent Seeking (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035327362
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