Poster Session #2: UC Ballroom
To Save the Last Tree: A Case Study of the Tropical Timber Agreements
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Helen Naughton
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Economics
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Between 1990 and 2005, the tropical nation Comoros lost approximately sixty percent of its nation’s forests to clear-cutting (NASA 2012). Although the starkest example of deforestation during that time period, Comoros’ loss of wilderness represents a long-standing trend among all tropical nations. The first of the International Tropical Timber Agreements (ITTA) was created in 1983 to reduce the rate of timber harvesting in tropical countries (ITTO 2012). Despite a second and third agreement in 1994 and 2006 respectively, deforestation continues. This study utilizes timber exports to evaluate whether or not the ITTA have been effective. GDP, GDP per capita, population and world timber prices are introduced as additional explanatory variables through econometric regression on panel data. Treaties rarely garner complete compliance, and when they do not it is important to understand how and where they fail. If any more effort is to be placed on strengthening and renewing the ITTA in lieu of other approaches, governments ought to be well informed of the likely results and the necessary adaptations.
To Save the Last Tree: A Case Study of the Tropical Timber Agreements
UC Ballroom
Between 1990 and 2005, the tropical nation Comoros lost approximately sixty percent of its nation’s forests to clear-cutting (NASA 2012). Although the starkest example of deforestation during that time period, Comoros’ loss of wilderness represents a long-standing trend among all tropical nations. The first of the International Tropical Timber Agreements (ITTA) was created in 1983 to reduce the rate of timber harvesting in tropical countries (ITTO 2012). Despite a second and third agreement in 1994 and 2006 respectively, deforestation continues. This study utilizes timber exports to evaluate whether or not the ITTA have been effective. GDP, GDP per capita, population and world timber prices are introduced as additional explanatory variables through econometric regression on panel data. Treaties rarely garner complete compliance, and when they do not it is important to understand how and where they fail. If any more effort is to be placed on strengthening and renewing the ITTA in lieu of other approaches, governments ought to be well informed of the likely results and the necessary adaptations.