Key underlying causes identified in the 2010 report ‘Getting to the Roots: Underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation, and drivers of forest restoration,’ included: persistently high demand for wood; spiralling demand for land for plantations and other forms of agriculture; conflict over land tenure; industrialisation, urbanisation and infrastructure; poor central planning, lack of political will, and inadequate capacity; economic poverty and a lack of alternative livelihood options; neoliberal economic policies locking in unsustainable rates of consumption and poverty; and climate change. Our overall conclusion from this multi-year project must be that whatever the professed intentions of governments engaged in developing REDD+ programmes and projects, there is little evidence of any real progress towards addressing these underlying causes of deforestation or forest degradation, including in the countries in question.

Type of Case
Printed publication (book, sourcebook, journal article…)

Publisher
Global Forest Coalition

Region
Africa, Americas, Asia Pacific

Biome
Tropical

Forest Type
All forest types (natural and planted), Degraded forest

Primary Designated Function
All