The Connection Between Income Divide and Biodiversity Loss

According to a team of researchers from the McGill School of Environment and Department of Philosophy, economic status and ecological biodiversity seem to be interconnected. The study included research on two different scales: economic differential and biodiversity loss among 45 countries worldwide, and the same among 45 states in the United States. Dr. Greg Mikkelson , author of the study, says, "Our study suggests that if we can learn to share economic resources more fairly with fellow members of our own species, it may help us to share ecological resources more fairly with other species."

In all cases, they adjusted for area and climate, human population size, and per capita consumption. Nonetheless, the team of researchers found startling results: societies that have a greater divide between top level and bottom level income earners experience a greater loss of biodiversity. In other words, the more unequally distributed the income, the more plant and animal species disappear. Mikkelson states, "While there is often a trade-off between economic growth and environmental quality, this study suggests that there is a synergy between a different kind of economic development -- namely, toward a more equitable distribution of wealth and the conservation of biological diversity." His group even found that if the United States had income as evenly distributed as Sweden, then the US would experience 44% fewer plants and animals on the endangered species list.

Previous factors to the loss of biodiversity have been named as an increase in the human population. But this research shows that economic growth and development actually plays a greater role in the multiplicity of plant and animal life. A perfect example of this link between the two is shown in Mexico, according to Dr. Andrew Gonzalez, co-author of the study. He says, "We already understand the impact run-away logging has on forests. When loggers in Mexico cut down trees to make way for cattle ranches, the impact on forests is partly driven by Mexico's highly uneven distribution of wealth."