International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics > Vol 2 > Issue 1

Poverty, Development, and Ecological Services

Edward B. Barbier, Department of Economics and Finance, University of Wyoming, USA, ebarbier@uwyo.edu
 
Suggested Citation
Edward B. Barbier (2008), "Poverty, Development, and Ecological Services", International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics: Vol. 2: No. 1, pp 1-27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1561/101.00000010

Publication Date: 16 Jun 2008
© 2008 Edward B. Barbier
 
Subjects
Environmental Economics
 
Keywords
O13Q20
Coral reefsDeveloping countriesEconomic developmentEcosystem servicesMangrovesPovertyTropical forests
 

Share

Download article
In this article:
1 Introduction 
2 Ecosystem Services 
3 Ecosystem Services and the Economic Livelihoods of the Poor 
4 Current Trends in Ecosystem Degradation and Loss — Are the Poor Responsible? 
5 Protecting and Improving the Provision of Ecosystem Services 
6 Targeting the Rural Poor in Fragile Environments 
7 Final Remarks 
References 

Abstract

The importance of ecosystem services to human welfare and economic livelihoods in low-income countries is now well recognized. Poor people in developing regions are particularly vulnerable to the deteriorating ecological values resulting from the loss of tropical forests, coral reefs, mangroves, and other ecosystems. Current efforts to reconcile development pressures with maintaining key ecosystem benefits focus on payment for environmental services and other incentives to protect critical ecosystems and habitat in developing countries. But geographical targeting and other means of tackling poverty more directly should be considered also.

DOI:10.1561/101.00000010