Population, Land Use and Deforestation in the Pan Amazon Basin: a Comparison of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú and Venezuela

Abstract

This paper discusses the linkages between population change, land use, and deforestation in the Amazon regions of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Perú, and Venezuela. We begin with a brief discussion of theories of population-environment linkages, and then focus on the case of deforestation in the Pan Amazon. The core of the paper reviews available data on deforestation, population growth, migration and land use in order to see how well land cover change reflects demographic and agricultural change. The data indicate that population dynamics and net migration exhibit to deforestation in some states of the basin but not others. We then discuss other explanatory factors for deforestation, and find a close correspondence between land use and deforestation, which suggests that land use is loosely tied to demographic dynamics and mediates the influence of population on deforestation. We also consider national political economic contexts of Amazon change in the six countries, and find contrasting contexts, which also helps to explain the limited demographic-deforestation correspondence. The paper closes by noting general conclusions based on the data, topics in need of further research and recent policy proposals.

Perus Bevölkerung: Das historische Gewordensein von Diskriminierungen und Privilegierungen

“…Durch diese sehr aktiven, grenzüberschreitenden Netzwerke bleiben die Auswander*innen auch weiterhin ökonomisch -über Rimessen -und sozial -durch die Vermittlung von Kontakten für weitere Auswanderungswillige und über die neuen sozialen Medien -in der Herkunftsregion präsent. Gerade der Zugang zu Rimessen, der meist nur für einige wenige Familien in ländlichen Gemeinden Perus besteht, führt mitunter zu wachsenden Ungleichheiten und sozialen Spannungen in einzelnen comunidades, wenn nicht tradierte Umverteilungsregeln dies verhindern (Acosta et al 2006(Acosta et al , 2008 Stetson 2012, Finer et al 2008, Perz et al 2005.…”

Procesos políticos y estructurales de la deforestación en la Amazonía: el caso de Tena, Ecuador (2014)

“…Aunque en ciertas regiones de la Amazonía la agricultura a gran escala para la producción de biocombustibles se ha expandido de forma muy extensa y visible, la agrícola migratoria sigue muy vigente entre unidades familiares de agricultores y ganaderos, particularmente migrantes o colonos, no solo en diversas regiones tropicales de América Latina, sino también en África y en Asia (Caldas et al, 2007;Aldrich et al, 2006;Brondizio, 2009;Perz, Aramburú y Bremmer, 2005;Perz, 2002;Bilsborrow, 1997). Es por ello que, como resultado del calentamiento global, la agricultura de roza y quema ha adquirido nuevamente un interés tanto el mundo académico como en aquellas instituciones públicas encargadas de enfrentar y mitigar el impacto de la deforestación del bosque tropical y su contribución al propio cambio climático.…”

Addressing Tipping Points for a Precarious Future

“…The fate of the Amazon is currently at a crossroads. The last four decades have witnessed widespread deforestation across the entire basin (Perz et al 2005;Etter et al 2008;FAO 2011), with some 775,000 km 2 of Amazon forests having already been cleared in Brazil alone since 1988 (www.inpe. gov.br).…”

“…Often perceived as a space for absorbing the population and development problems of other regions, government resettlement and incentive schemes and infrastructure projects have all contributed towards a massive increase and redistribution of people across the basin during the last half a century. Between 1980 and 2000 alone the population of the Brazilian Legal Amazon approximately doubled from 12 to 21 million people, with increases of comparable magnitude in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (Perz et al 2005), resulting in a regional population today that exceeds 31 million (FAO 2011). Whilst links between population growth and deforestation are complex (Perz et al 2005;Hecht 2010) this dramatic change has driven increased demand for land and natural resources, as well as increased investment in infrastructure and energy projects, as regions of the Amazon have become increasingly connected with national and international markets (Nepstad et al 2006;Killeen 2007;Lambin and Meyfroidt 2011).…”

“…Between 1980 and 2000 alone the population of the Brazilian Legal Amazon approximately doubled from 12 to 21 million people, with increases of comparable magnitude in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (Perz et al 2005), resulting in a regional population today that exceeds 31 million (FAO 2011). Whilst links between population growth and deforestation are complex (Perz et al 2005;Hecht 2010) this dramatic change has driven increased demand for land and natural resources, as well as increased investment in infrastructure and energy projects, as regions of the Amazon have become increasingly connected with national and international markets (Nepstad et al 2006;Killeen 2007;Lambin and Meyfroidt 2011). The majority of recent population growth in the Amazon has occurred in cities (Guedes et al 2009), many of which have also witnessed rapid rates of economic growth.…”