rests, and both need to take responsibility for seeing to it that the ecology of the world is protected. An examination of the issue will show the degree of deforestation that has already taken place, the rate at which it continues to reduce the size of the forests of the world, and some of the ways in which governments and corporations have responded, as well as ways in which they should respond in the future to reduce the scope of this problem.
The objective of this research is to ascertain the level of destruction occasioned by deforestation in the world today and the nature of the problems consequent to that destruction. Also to be considered are the roles of both government and business first in the destruction itself and then in any responsible program to curtail that destruction. It is assumed that unregulated business enterprises have contributed to the problem as governments have allowed uncontrolled development for economic gain. It is also believed that the problem is such that its continuation will actually reduce economic viability rather than enhancing it and that getting governments to realize this is one step to reversing the trend.
Among the research questions to be answered are the following:
1) What is the nature and scope of the problem of deforestation?
2) What are the causes of deforestation?
3) Who are the primary participants?
4) What are the consequences of uncontrolled deforestation?
5) What role does business and government play?
6) What responsibility does each have in addressing the problem of deforestation?
7) What efforts have been undertaken to get them to live up to these responsibilities, if any?
SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM OF DEFORESTATION
The destruction of tropical forests has long been a source of alarm to professional ecologists and environmental activists. And increasingly it has become a matter of public concern in Western industrial nations. Citizens of i...