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Deforestation is partly caused by the accelerated demands for consumption linked to population growth. By 2050, it is projected that there will be nearly 10 billion of us humans on this planet. This means more mouths to be fed, and therefore, more planetary resources to utilise. To date, it is already evident that there are huge socio-economic inequalities interconnected with the climate crisis that our society is facing.

Many underdeveloped countries like Haiti feel the pressure of exploiting their land in order to satisfy the growing demands of beef, for example. Moreover, they do not count with the knowledge necessary for applying sustainable practices. Living in a ‘survival mode’, they feel the urge to cut down trees, which will be transformed into charcoal, boats, or building materials. These resources are essential for the islanders to make a profit and sustain themselves… they have no choice. 

However, it is important to remember that, in a sense, economic development can be linked to wildlife conservation. Forests are still being cut down in poor countries, but they are expanding in rich ones. When a state reaches a certain level of income, it starts re-foresting: people become wealthy enough to stop relying on wood fires for cooking and begin to use electricity or gas instead. 

In fact, a recent study evidenced that the number of trees in the world is steadily increasing. As it is shown, the increase in tree covers overcomes the losses from over the past 35 years. This global greening is happening in all ecosystems, and it has been reported that part of this due to anthropogenic initiatives like reforestations.