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Rights to the forest, REDD+ and elections: mining in Guyana

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  • Laing, Timothy

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of electoral cycles and the introduction of Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD+) policy upon the holding of small-scale mining property rights in Guyana. Mining is both the major cause of deforestation and the main economic activity in the country. A simple model of the incentives to hold mining property rights is developed and tested using a unique data-set of small-scale mining property rights data. Econometric techniques are used to test the findings of the model, concluding that the number of mining rights issued fall after election years, with the number rescinded rising. The introduction of REDD+ in Guyana also seems to have increased the number of mining claims being relinquished, and reduce the number being issued. The findings highlight the importance of political economy events in the evolution of small-scale mining activity, and show some evidence that the introduction of a REDD+ framework in Guyana has impacted the main driver of deforestation, despite the absence of specific policy targeting the sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Laing, Timothy, 2015. "Rights to the forest, REDD+ and elections: mining in Guyana," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 64186, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:64186
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohamed Boly & Pascale Combes Motel & Jean-Louis Combes, 2019. "How much does environment pay for politicians?," Post-Print hal-02314982, HAL.
    2. Mentis, Alan & Moonsammy, Stephan, 2022. "A critical assessment of Guyana's sustainability pathway: Perspectives from a developing extractive economy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    3. Laing, Timothy, 2019. "Small man goes where the large fears to tread: Mining in Guyana: 1990-2018," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Yıldız, Taşkın Deniz, 2020. "Effects of the private land acquisition process and costs on mining enterprises before mining operation activities in Turkey," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    5. Boly, Mohamed & Combes, Jean-Louis & Combes Motel, Pascale, 2023. "Does environment pay for politicians?," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    6. Ranjan, Ram, 2019. "Assessing the impact of mining on deforestation in India," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 23-35.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    small-scale mining; REDD+; elections; property rights;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q30 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - General
    • Q38 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Government Policy (includes OPEC Policy)
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy

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