Economic growth, government efficiency, and biodiversity loss: an international trade perspective

In the macro context of production decentralization and trade liberalization, biodiversity conservation and academic research have focused on clarifying the factors of biodiversity loss driven by international trade. Based on the MRIO model framework, this study measures and comparatively analyzes global biodiversity loss from 2006 to 2015. This is based on the Red List of Threatened Species database. It provides a normative interpretation of the mechanisms of economic growth and government efficiency in biodiversity loss with the help of spatial econometric methods. Economic growth and regional biodiversity loss showed an “inverted U” type relationship. When the economic growth level reaches a certain threshold, increasing it reduces the intensity of the biodiversity loss. Government efficiency has a significant spatial spillover effect and can significantly reduce biodiversity loss in the surrounding areas. Accordingly, this study suggests that in the process of biodiversity conservation, countries/regions need to effectively play a positive role in reducing the risk of biodiversity loss through economic growth, promoting the coordination between economic growth and biodiversity conservation, and promoting the formation of a synergistic mechanism. This study has important policy implications for developing a practical and feasible “post-2020 global biodiversity framework” and effective biodiversity conservation program.