A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa
Deforestation remains a pressing environmental challenge across East Africa, driven largely by agricultural expansion, energy consumption, and infrastructural development. This study investigates the dynamic relationship between deforestation and economic growth using panel data from 1990 to 2023 ac...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-09-01
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| Series: | Trees, Forests and People |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325002067 |
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| author | Mohamed Mwanga |
| author_facet | Mohamed Mwanga |
| author_sort | Mohamed Mwanga |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Deforestation remains a pressing environmental challenge across East Africa, driven largely by agricultural expansion, energy consumption, and infrastructural development. This study investigates the dynamic relationship between deforestation and economic growth using panel data from 1990 to 2023 across eight East African countries: The Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. A Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (P-ARDL) model was employed, incorporating variables such as GDP growth, agricultural value added, gross capital formation, and energy consumption. The findings reveal that while GDP growth and capital investment are associated with a reduction in deforestation over the long run, agricultural expansion and energy consumption significantly contribute to forest loss. These results highlight the need for regionally harmonized sustainable development strategies that balance economic progress with ecological preservation. The study recommends policy interventions focusing on sustainable agriculture, energy diversification, and regional forest governance frameworks. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ba05a4142103445fb6f2fed7a27054e1 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-7193 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-09-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trees, Forests and People |
| spelling | doaj-art-ba05a4142103445fb6f2fed7a27054e12025-08-20T04:01:57ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932025-09-012110098010.1016/j.tfp.2025.100980A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East AfricaMohamed Mwanga0Institute of Accountancy Arusha, Arusha TanzaniaDeforestation remains a pressing environmental challenge across East Africa, driven largely by agricultural expansion, energy consumption, and infrastructural development. This study investigates the dynamic relationship between deforestation and economic growth using panel data from 1990 to 2023 across eight East African countries: The Republic of Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. A Panel Autoregressive Distributed Lag (P-ARDL) model was employed, incorporating variables such as GDP growth, agricultural value added, gross capital formation, and energy consumption. The findings reveal that while GDP growth and capital investment are associated with a reduction in deforestation over the long run, agricultural expansion and energy consumption significantly contribute to forest loss. These results highlight the need for regionally harmonized sustainable development strategies that balance economic progress with ecological preservation. The study recommends policy interventions focusing on sustainable agriculture, energy diversification, and regional forest governance frameworks.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325002067DeforestationEconomic growthPanel dataSustainable developmentEast Africa |
| spellingShingle | Mohamed Mwanga A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa Trees, Forests and People Deforestation Economic growth Panel data Sustainable development East Africa |
| title | A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa |
| title_full | A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa |
| title_fullStr | A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa |
| title_short | A trade-off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in East Africa |
| title_sort | trade off analysis of deforestation and economic growth in east africa |
| topic | Deforestation Economic growth Panel data Sustainable development East Africa |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719325002067 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mohamedmwanga atradeoffanalysisofdeforestationandeconomicgrowthineastafrica AT mohamedmwanga tradeoffanalysisofdeforestationandeconomicgrowthineastafrica |