Natural Capital, Ecological strongScarcitystrong and Rural Poverty.pdf

WPS6232 d e z i r o h t u A e r Policy Research Working Paper 6232 u s o l c s i D c i l b u P d e z i r o h t u A e r u Natural Capital, Ecological Scarcity s o l c s i and Rural Poverty D c i l b u P Edward B. Barbier d e z i r o h t u A e r u s o l c s i D c i l b u P d e z i r o h t u A e r u s o l c s i The World Bank D c i l Development Research Group b u P Environment and Energy Team Sustainable Development Network Office of the Chief Economist October 2012 Policy Research Working Paper 6232 Abstract Much of the rural poor—who are growing in number— remote areas. The specific elements of such a strategy are concentrated in ecologically fragile and remote areas. include involving the poor in payment for ecosystem The key ecological scarcity problem facing such poor services schemes and other measures that enhance the households is a vicious cycle of declining livelihoods, environments on which the poor depend; targeting increased ecological degradation and loss of resource investments directly to improving the livelihoods of the commons, and declining ecosystem services on which rural poor, thus reducing their dependence on exploiting the poor depend. In addition, developing economies environmental resources; tackling the lack of access of the with high concentrations of their populations on fragile