Palm Oil and the politics of deforestation in Indonesia
2020-04 | working paper. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.
Jump to:Cite & Linked | Documents & Media | Details | Version history
Cite this publication
Palm Oil and the politics of deforestation in Indonesia (EFForTS Discussion Paper Series, 31)
Cisneros, E. ; Kis-Katos, K. & Nuryartono, N. (2020)
Göttingen: SFB 990, University of Göttingen; GOEDOC, Dokumenten- und Publikationsserver der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.
Documents & Media
Details
- Authors
- Cisneros, Elías ; Kis-Katos, Krisztina ; Nuryartono, Nunung
- Abstract
- This paper studies the interactions between political and economic incentives to foster forest conversion in Indonesian districts. Using a district–level panel data set from 2001 to 2016, we analyze variation in remotely sensed forest loss and forest fires as well as measures of land use licensing. We link these outcomes to economic incentives to expand oil palm culti- vation areas as well as political incentives arising before idiosyncratically–timed local mayoral elections. Empirical results document substantial increases in deforestation and forest fires in the year prior to local elections. Additionally, oil palm plays a crucial role in driving deforesta- tion dynamics. Variations in global market prices of palm oil are closely linked to deforestation in areas which are geo-climatically best suited for growing oil palm and they amplify the impor- tance of the political cycle. We thus find clear evidence for economic and political incentives reinforcing each other as drivers of forest loss and land conversion for oil palm cultivation.
- Issue Date
- April-2020
- Publisher
- SFB 990, University of Göttingen; GOEDOC, Dokumenten- und Publikationsserver der Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
- Project
- SFB 990: Ökologische und sozioökonomische Funktionen tropischer Tieflandregenwald-Transformationssysteme (Sumatra, Indonesien)
SFB 990 | C | C10: Lokalisierte Umwelt- und Landnutzungspolitiken, Umwandlung zu Palmöl und Abholzung - Organization
- Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach-Institut für Zoologie und Anthropologie
- Series
- EFForTS Discussion Paper Series
- Extent
- 58
- Language
- English
- Subject(s)
- democratization; decentralization; elections; deforestation; forest conservation; demand shocks; palm oil; concessions; Indonesia; sfb990_discussionpaperseries