Publication
The complex relationships between economic inequality and biodiversity: A scoping review
Publisher:
SAGE Publications
Date:
15-03-2023
DOI:
10.1177/20530196231158080
Abstract: Bio ersity change and increasing within-country economic inequalities represent two of the greatest global challenges of the Anthropocene. The most marginalized in society are often the most vulnerable to bio ersity change but there is no consensus on the relationships between bio ersity change and rising economic inequalities. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic scoping review of the literature and found 27 studies that explicitly examined the relationships between economic inequality and bio ersity. These were predominantly quantitative but also included qualitative, scenario, and review papers. The majority of studies (21/27) found evidence to suggest that more unequal regions had lower levels of bio ersity, and also that wealthier areas had higher levels of bio ersity. However, few studies investigated the causal mechanisms underlying the reported relationships, and there was little consistency in the metrics used to measure either inequality or bio ersity. Future research needs to focus on testing, or in-depth explorations, of causal mechanisms, with both quantitative and qualitative approaches needed. It is crucial that we understand how economic inequality and bio ersity interact if we are to meet the aims of reducing economic inequality and preventing further bio ersity loss.