| | |  | Generalizations such as 'poverty causes deforestation' or 'deforestation causes poverty' are at best only partially true, and these assumptions are poor foundation for policy. |
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| | Millions of very poor people live in and around tropical forests. High deforestation rates are depleting a valuable rural resource base. Deforestation also contributes to 20 percent of annual global carbon dioxide emissions, and is seriously threatening biodiversity. |
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| | Strengthening forest governance should include fair allocation and reliable enforcement of rights over forests. Emerging technological and institutional innovations (such as satellite surveillance to detect illegal logging) can be used to catalyze improved forest governance. |
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| | | | | Three types of tropical forests face distinct challenges and have different priorities. These three types are mosaiclands where agriculture and forests coexist as a patchwork, frontier and disputed areas, and areas beyond the agricultural frontier. |
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| | In general, people who clear and log forests gain from doing so, whether the gains are large, small, temporary or sustainable. However, the losses--which affect other people near and far--include climate change, biodiversity loss, and many local effects. |
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| | Global carbon markets can provide a strong financial incentive to avoid deforestation. If carbon markets were harnessed, in many places forests would be worth far more standing than converted to low-value uses. Carbon finance funds could be used to help strengthen forest governance, support sustainable land use, and boost rural incomes. |
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Picture credits: (L to R)
Top: Frans Lanting, Corbis; Juan Pablo Moreiras; Grant Milne, World Bank
Bottom: Louise Cobb/Corbis SABA; Michael Nichols;Â CRISP, Singapore Univ. | 
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