Economic Causes of Deforestation in SDGs No. 15: A Case Study of the Amazon

This bachelor thesis aims in the context of SDGs No. 16 to identify the most important economic causes of deforestation with a focus on the Amazon region and to suggest possible solutions to slow down deforestation in this region. The first chapter contains theoretical definitions and basic starting points. It focuses on the description of key concepts such as forest, deforestation, etc. This is followed by an evaluation of SDGs No. 15, which is one of the goals of sustainable development, which focuses on, among other things, forest protection. The main economic causes of deforestation are also captured. The most common global cause of deforestation is agriculture, which is responsible for 73% of total deforestation. Then, possible solutions leading to the slowing down of deforestation are proposed, and global trends of deforestation are captured. The bachelor thesis mainly uses the analytical-synthetic method. As the title of the bachelor’s thesis suggests, the thesis is written in the form of a case study. The second chapter focuses on the trends of deforestation in Brazil and analyses the specific economic causes of deforestation. The main economic cause of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is mainly cattle breeding, which accounts for 63% of the direct economic causes of deforestation. Subsequently, possible solutions were proposed that lead to a slowdown of deforestation in Brazil. Certification may be a possible solution in Brazil, mainly for reasons of transparency. Market power, regulation, and sustainability are important. Another possible solution is to replace beef with alternative sources of protein. It is also necessary to diversify oilseeds and use alternative crops to produce biodiesel. Then, by synthesizing the obtained information, it is possible to answer the set goal of the bachelor’s thesis.