Socioeconomic Factors Driving Deforestation and its Consequences on Human Development

• Grant number: 24/15227-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology - Applied Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Márcio Leite de Oliveira
• Grantee: Marcos Henrique Rodrigues Oliveira
• Host Institution: Universidade de Araraquara (UNIARA). Associação São Bento de Ensino. Araraquara , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Tropical forests are vital for terrestrial biodiversity and the habitat for half of all known species globally. However, tropical forests are being lost at an alarming rate, with deforestation posing a serious threat not only to biodiversity, but also human well-being. There are indications of a relationship between economic inequality, population growth, and deforestation rates, but a full understanding of these relationships requires a deeper investigation of the ecological and social aspects. The aim of this study is to investigate at the world rainforests range the relationship between sub-national socio-economic indicators such as Human Development Index (HDI), Gender Development Index (GDI), years of schooling, Purchasing Power Parity (PPP), Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for agriculture, income inequality (Gini Index)and the loss of forest cover in periods subsequent to the measurement of these indicators. Additionally, the social consequences of the deforestation process will be investigated by associating deforestation with changes in the values of socio-economic indicators measured after this process. Thus, we hope that by studying the link between socio-economic aspects and forest cover loss, we can better understand the underlying drivers for deforestation and its socio-economic consequences on local populations.