Dynamics and drivers of deforestation in the Philippines

Abstract

Deforestation is one of the biggest environmental problems in the world. It is an old ecological problem, yet the deforestation rates and causes are still debated in many areas. In the Philippines, there are numerous but conflicting forest cover estimates. Also, there is no agreement on the causes of deforestation, and information on contemporary causes is limited. This research aims to shed light on the rate and causes of deforestation in the Philippines by conducting a literature review from 1980 to 2020. This study shows that estimating deforestation rates is difficult because of the differences in methodology, data used, and forest definition in quantifying the forest cover of the Philippines. Nevertheless, various sources indicated that forest cover decreased from 1980 to 2010 and increased from 2010 to 2020. Proximate causes of deforestation were primarily agricultural expansion, wood extraction, and built-up extension. Underlying causes were mainly demographic and poverty factors; market demand and economic development factors; and governance, policy, and institutional factors. The results also revealed that the different causes were linked to each other. Temporal analysis of the causes of deforestation showed that wood extraction was an important driver from 1980 to 2020. Infrastructure development had increasing significance from 1980 to 2020. Agricultural expansion remained an important driver of deforestation throughout the study period. The perpetuation of agricultural expansion and the rise of infrastructure development as drivers of deforestation calls for proper land use planning, land classification, and stronger protection of protected areas. It is also suggested to further investigate wood extraction as a driver of deforestation.