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Ecosystems and Human Health: The Local Benefits of Forest Cover in Indonesia

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  • Garg, Teevrat

    (University of California, San Diego)

Abstract

This paper documents the effect of primary forest cover loss on increased incidence of malaria. The evidence is consistent with an ecological response. I show that land use change, anti-malarial programs or migration cannot explain the effect of primary forest cover loss on increased malarial incidence. Falsification tests reveal that the effect is specific to malaria, with forest cover having no discernible effect on other diseases with a disease ecology different from that of malaria. Back-of-the-envelope calculations indicate that the morbidity-related malaria-reducing local benefits of primary forests are at least $1-$2 per hectare.

Suggested Citation

  • Garg, Teevrat, 2019. "Ecosystems and Human Health: The Local Benefits of Forest Cover in Indonesia," IZA Discussion Papers 12683, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12683
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    File URL: https://docs.iza.org/dp12683.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cisneros, Elías & Kis-Katos, Krisztina & Nuryartono, Nunung, 2021. "Palm oil and the politics of deforestation in Indonesia," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    2. Pagel, Jeff, 2022. "A natural resource curse: the unintended effects of gold mining on malaria," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115532, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Allen Blackman & Emilio Leguízamo, 2024. "Tree Cover Perforation and Malaria: Evidence from Colombia," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(8), pages 2067-2093, August.
    4. Teevrat Garg & Ajay Shenoy, 2021. "The Ecological Impact of Place‐Based Economic Policies," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 103(4), pages 1239-1250, August.
    5. Karpavicius, Luiza & Chimeli, Ariaster, 2023. "Forest Protection and Human Health: The Case of Malaria in the Brazilian Amazon," TD NEREUS 6-2023, Núcleo de Economia Regional e Urbana da Universidade de São Paulo (NEREUS).
    6. Chakrabarti, Averi, 2021. "Deforestation and infant mortality: Evidence from Indonesia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    7. Shreya Biswas & Upasak Das & Sandhya Garg, 2024. "Growing with greener pastures: Examining the role of graduate politicians on forest cover in India," IEG Working Papers 463, Institute of Economic Growth.
    8. Matías Piaggio & Marisol Guzman & Eduardo Pacay & Juan Robalino & Taylor Ricketts, 2024. "Forest Cover and Dengue in Costa Rica: Panel Data Analysis of the Effects of Forest Cover Change on Hospital Admissions and Outbreaks," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(8), pages 2095-2114, August.
    9. Luiza M Karpavicius & Ariaster Chimeli, 2023. "Forest Protection and Human Health: The Case of Malaria in the Brazilian Amazon," Working Papers, Department of Economics 2023_08, University of São Paulo (FEA-USP), revised 26 Jul 2023.
    10. Rozo, Sandra V., 2020. "Unintended effects of illegal economic activities: Illegal gold mining and malaria," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    11. Derek Sheehan & Katrina Mullan & Thales A. P. West & Erin O. Semmens, 2024. "Protecting Life and Lung: Protected Areas Affect Fine Particulate Matter and Respiratory Hospitalizations in the Brazilian Amazon Biome," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(1), pages 45-87, January.
    12. Rafael Parras & Gislaine Costa de Mendonça & Renata Cristina Araújo Costa & Teresa Cristina Tarlé Pissarra & Carlos Alberto Valera & Luís Filipe Sanches Fernandes & Fernando António Leal Pacheco, 2020. "The Configuration of Forest Cover in Ribeirão Preto: A Diagnosis of Brazil’s Forest Code Implementation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-13, July.
    13. Sutirtha Bandyopadhyay & Pranabes Dutta & Naveen Hari & Bipasha Maity, 2023. "Female Legislators and Forest Conservation in India," Working Papers 104, Ashoka University, Department of Economics.
    14. Nicholas A. Mailloux & Colleen P. Henegan & Dorothy Lsoto & Kristen P. Patterson & Paul C. West & Jonathan A. Foley & Jonathan A. Patz, 2021. "Climate Solutions Double as Health Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-15, December.
    15. Jones, Benjamin A., 2023. "Can invasive species lead to sedentary behavior? The time use and obesity impacts of a forest-attacking pest," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    16. Leah E. M. Bevis & Kichan Kim, 2022. "Soil mineral availability and human mineral status: A review and evidence from Malawi," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(2), pages 822-847, June.
    17. Bevis, Leah & Kim, Kichan & Guerena, David, 2023. "Soil zinc deficiency and child stunting: Evidence from Nepal," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    18. Katherine D. Lee & David Finnoff & Peter Daszak, 2024. "Optimal Ecosystem Change in the Presence of Ecosystem-Mediated Human Health Impacts," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(8), pages 2143-2162, August.
    19. John Gibson, 2020. "Deforestation and Resource Conflicts in Papua New Guinea," Working Papers in Economics 20/02, University of Waikato.
    20. repec:ags:aaea22:335603 is not listed on IDEAS
    21. Heidi J. Albers & Katherine D. Lee & Jennifer R. Rushlow & Carlos Zambrana-Torrselio, 2020. "Disease Risk from Human–Environment Interactions: Environment and Development Economics for Joint Conservation-Health Policy," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 76(4), pages 929-944, August.
    22. Fuentes Cordoba, Gabriel, 2024. "Deforestation and child health in Cambodia," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    deforestation; malaria;

    JEL classification:

    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth
    • Q57 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Ecological Economics
    • Q20 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - General

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