Corrupting Ecologically Unequal Exchange? India and Forest Loss in a Cross-National Perspective

Abstract

Drawing on ecologically unequal exchange theory and previous cross-national research, the authors assess whether wood exports from peripheral nations to India are related to increased forest loss in the exporting nations. The authors also build on this perspective by assessing if corruption interacts with the ecologically unequal exchange of wood exports to India. In this regard, the authors hypothesize that corruption creates an “institutional context” whereby bribes, kickbacks, and embezzlement by government officials translate into the prioritization of consumptive practices in the short term rather than advocating for long-term investments such as conservation. Toward this end, the authors expect that wood exports to India increase forest loss more in peripheral nations with higher rather than lower levels of corruption. The authors find support for this hypothesis using ordinary least squares regression for a sample of 67 low- and middle-income nations. The authors conclude by discussing the theoretical, methodological, and policy implications that follow from the interaction finding.

Global inequities in the prevalence of undernourishment

“…2009a, 2009b; Sommer, Shandra, and Coburn 2019; Tester 2020; Thombs 2018; Sommer et al. 2020, 2021, 2022). However, the ultimate contribution of this analysis is that it contributes to a growing body of literature documenting the social welfare impacts of the vertical flow of exports to high‐income countries from less‐developed countries (Austin 2010a, 2010b, 2012; Austin et al.…”