TED Talks Daily A new economic model for protecting tropical forests | Nat Keohane
Apr 21, 2022
Nat Keohane, an environmental economist and advocate for sustainable forest preservation, discusses innovative strategies for protecting tropical forests. He emphasizes the necessity of revaluing these ecosystems, making them financially beneficial to keep alive. Keohane highlights the LEAF Coalition's groundbreaking efforts, channeling $1 billion towards forest conservation. He also shares successful models from Brazil that illustrate how economic growth can be aligned with ecological protection, paving the way for a resilient future.
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Economic Incentives Drive Deforestation
- The core issue behind deforestation is economic.
- Profitability drives the clearing of forests for timber or agriculture.
Change the Incentives
- Fix the market by changing incentives, making forests more valuable alive than dead.
- This will drive investment into forest protection and needed goods and services.
Mato Grosso's Success
- Mato Grosso, Brazil, a major beef and soy producer, reduced deforestation by 85%.
- They achieved this through enforcement, community empowerment, and sustainable agriculture.