The expansion of modern agriculture and global biodiversity decline: An integrated assessment

Bruno Lanz, Simon Dietz and Timothy Swanson

No 29-2014, CIES Research Paper series from Centre for International Environmental Studies, The Graduate Institute

Abstract: Modern agriculture relies on a small number of highly productive crops and its continued expansion has led to a significant loss of biodiversity. In this paper we consider the macroeconomic consequences of this land conversion process from the perspective of agricultural productivity and food production. We employ a quantitative, structurally estimated model of the global economy in which economic growth, population and food demand, agricultural innovations, and land conversion are jointly determined. We show that even a small impact of global biodiversity on agricultural productivity calls for both a halt in agricultural land conversion and increased agricultural R&D.

Keywords: Global biodiversity; Agricultural productivity; Endogenous innovations; Land conversion; Population dynamics; Food security; Quantitative growth model. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N10 N50 O31 O44 Q15 Q16 Q57 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 38 pages
Date: 2014-09-15
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-agr, nep-eff, nep-env and nep-ino
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Related works:
Journal Article: The Expansion of Modern Agriculture and Global Biodiversity Decline: An Integrated Assessment (2018)
Working Paper: The expansion of modern agriculture and global biodiversity decline: an integrated assessment (2018)
Working Paper: The expansion of modern agriculture and global biodiversity decline: An integrated assessment (2017)
Working Paper: The expansion of modern agriculture and global biodiversity decline: an integrated assessment (2016)
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