Forest destruction in tropical Asia

Abstract

I evaluate trends in forest loss, population size, economic growth, and corruption within 12 nations that contain the large bulk of Asian tropical forests, and contrast these with trends occurring elsewhere in the tropics. Half of the Asian nations have already experienced severe (>70%) forest loss, and forest-rich countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, are experiencing rapid forest destruction. Both expanding human populations and industrial drivers of deforestation, such as logging and exotic-tree plantations, are important drivers of forest loss. Countries with rapid population growth and little surviving forest are also plagued by endemic corruption and low average living standards.