Why are Narratives that Place the Blame for Deforestation on the Rural Poor so Pervasive and so Persistent?

Abstract

Deforestation is a prominent issue in the call for global environmental sustainability whose status transcends the realm of environmental studies and extends to the broader domains of public policy and popular concern. Deforestation issues are complex, and narratives provide the simple explanations needed by policymakers and the public. One of the most common narratives explaining deforestation places the blame on the rural poor. These narratives make facile connections between the poor who depend on the forests for their livelihood and the environmental degradation which is taking place in their immediate vicinity. They unite two major problems in a neat hermeneutic circle: the rural poor are caught in a vicious cycle of poverty and environmental degradation, where they are both the victims and the perpetrators. While rural poverty and deforestation are closely connected, the relationship is a complex one - contrary to what such simple narratives lead us to believe - and the causes of deforestation remain unclear. This article discusses the causes that explain why are narratives that place the blame for deforestation on the rural poor so pervasive and so persistent?