Quantifying Sustainable Development

Description

Until recently, the phenomenal economic development of the Asian tigers, Chile, and Malaysia, as well as the sustained economic growth of the United States, painted a very desirable and optimistic picture of free markets, fiscal responsibility, and, more generally, the entire dogma of neoclassical economics. As of the fall of 1998, however, the economies of many tropical countries have contracted severely, and the enthusiasm of the developing tropics for the free market and all of its ancillary policies is decidedly cooler. Have our traditional approaches to economics been failing the developing world?
This interdisciplinary book covers the conditions of the developing tropics, the resistance of some of their problems to earlier attempts at solutions, and the use of new tools to develop a much more comprehensive and empirical framework for analysis and decision making. It also presents the development of cutting edge technology that links GIS and modeling approaches with extensive databases on meteorology, soils, agricultural production, and land use. The book discusses whether development is sustainable through a synthesis of demographic, economic, and resource-specific considerations. Costa Rica is uniquely suited to this study because of its size, stage of development, democratic institutions, and national databases.
A CD-ROM containing all data and programs, color images, animated models, large data tables, and references accompanies the book.

Links economic and biophysical analyses of sustainability
Presents new tools and approaches for analysis and decision-making
Includes a CD-ROM containing data and programs, color images, animated models, and references

Front Cover 2
Quantifying Sustainable Development: The Future of Tropical Economies 5
Contents 7
Contributors 17
Foreword 21
Preface 25
Section I: Introduction: The Tropics—Paradise Imperiled? 31
- Chapter 1. The Changing Tropics 33
  - I. Introduction 33
  - II. The Industrialization of Agriculture 33
  - III. The Increasing Need for Foreign Exchange 40
  - IV. Tropical Environmental Issues and Their Economic Consequences 42
  - V. Has Development Failed? 43
  - VI. Was Conventional Economics the Wrong Tool to Guide Development? 43
  - VII. Sustainable Development, the New Silver Bullet 44

Front Cover 2
Quantifying Sustainable Development: The Future of Tropical Economies 5
Contents 7
Contributors 17
Foreword 21
Preface 25
Section I: Introduction: The Tropics—Paradise Imperiled? 31
- Chapter 1. The Changing Tropics 33
  - I. Introduction 33
  - II. The Industrialization of Agriculture 33
  - III. The Increasing Need for Foreign Exchange 40
  - IV. Tropical Environmental Issues and Their Economic Consequences 42
  - V. Has Development Failed? 43
  - VI. Was Conventional Economics the Wrong Tool to Guide Development? 43
  - VII. Sustainable Development, the New Silver Bullet 44
  - References 46
- Chapter 2. A Brief Historical and Visual Introduction to Costa Rica 49
  - I. Costa Rica, Green Paradise? 49
  - II. A Historical Perspective on Costa Rica and Its Economy 52
  - III. The Effects of Foreign Aid and Loans 63
  - IV. Costa Rica in the 1990s—Radical Changes in the Country and the Economy 65
  - V. Conclusions 69
  - References 70
- Section II: Development and Sustainability 73
  - Chapter 3. The Theories and Myths That Have Guided Development 75
    - I. The Economic Issues 75
    - II. The Lure of Sustainable Development 76
    - III. The Central Question of This Book 80
    - IV. Some Important History about the Development of Economics 87
    - V. Biophysical Economics 104
    - References 115
  - Chapter 4.Data on Sustainability in Costa Rica: Time Series Analysis of Population, Land Use, Economics, Energy, and Efficiency 121
    - I. Introduction 121
    - II. Methods 123
    - III. Results 127
    - IV. Discussion 136
    - V. Conclusions 148
    - References 149
  - Chapter 5. Land, Energy, and Agricultural Production in Costa Rica 151
    - I. Introduction 151
    - II. Assessing the Food Production Capacity of Costa Rica 160
    - III. Simulation Results 170
    - IV. What This Means for the Future 176
    - V. Conclusions 183
    - References 185
  - Section III: Adding a Spatial Dimension: Tools for Dynamic Geographical Analysis 187
    - Chapter 6. The Derivation and Analysis of National-Level Geographical Information: A New Model for Accessibility and an Easy-to- 189
      - I. Introduction 189
      - II. A Plan to Generate National-Level Data Bases 194
      - III. Our Plan to Provide a Uniform Format for Costa Rican Geographical Data 196
      - IV. Development of Mean Environmental Characteristics for Each Political Unit 199
      - V. A Free Micro GIS Program 202
      - References 205
    - Chapter 7. Geographical Modeling: The Synthesis of a GIS and Simulation Modeling 207
      - I. The Concepts behind Land Use Decision Making 207
      - II. Tools for Analysis 210
      - III. Applying Gradient Analysis through Geographical Modeling to Costa Rica 225
      - IV. Models and Policymaking 227
      - References 228
    - Section IV: Building a Geographical Database for Costa Rica 233
      - Chapter 8. Developing a Nationwide Topographical Database 235
        
        I. Introduction 235
        
        II. Construction of the Topographical Database 238
        
        III. Generating Derivatives of the DEM 245
        
        IV. Potential Uses in Sustainability Assessment 250
        
        References 251
      - Chapter 9. Synthesis of Costa Rican Meteorological Information in a Geographical Context 253
        
        I. Introduction 253
        
        II. Methodology—An Overview 264
        
        III. Methods We Used to Compute Costa Rican Digital Climate Maps 269
        
        IV. Results 277
        
        V. Discussion—Validating the Accuracy of the Generated Maps 291
        
        VI. Conclusions 293
        
        References 293
      - Chapter 10. Properties, Geographic Distribution, and Management of Major Soil Orders of Costa Rica 295
        
        I. Introduction 295
        
        II. Historical Perspective 296
        
        III. Classifying Costa Rica’s Diverse Soils 297
        
        IV. Conclusions 319
        
        References 320
      - Chapter 11. Remote Sensing and Land Use Analysis for Agriculture in Costa Rica 325
        
        I. Introduction 325
        
        II. Application of Remote Sensing to Assessing Forest Cover and Land Use Change in Costa Rica 340
        
        III. Analysis of Crops 348
        
        IV. The Future of Costa Rican Institutions Developing Remote Sensing Applications 371
        
        V. Conclusion 373
        
        References 374
      - Section V: Application to Sustainability Issues for Costa Rica’s Natural Resources 377
        
        Chapter 12. Temporal and Spatial Overview of Costa Rican Agricultural Production 379
        
        I. Introduction 379
        
        II. Trends in Land Use and Agricultural Yield 380
        
        III. The Geography of Agriculture 406
        
        IV. An Energy Flow Analysis of Agricultural Productivity in Costa Rica 423
        
        V. Conclusion 428
        
        References 430
        
        Chapter 13. Biophysical Agricultural Assessment and Management Models for Developing Countries 433
        
        I. Introduction 433
        
        II. Model 1: ALES Land Use Potential Evaluation System 434
        
        III. Model 2: DSSAT Crop Simulation Models 443
        
        IV. Discussion 448
        
        V. Conclusions 450
        
        References 450
        
        Chapter 14. Geographical Synthesis of Data on Costa Rican Pastures and Their Potential for Improvement 453
        
        I. Introduction 453
        
        II. Pastures 461
        
        III. Economic Issues 473
        
        IV. Conclusion 474
        
        References 476
        
        Chapter 15. The Extent and Economic Impacts of Soil Erosion in Costa Rica 479
        
        I. Introduction 479
        
        II. Literature Review 480
        
        III. Methods 487
        
        IV. Results 490
        
        V. Discussion 494
        
        VI. Conclusions 497
        
        References 498
        
        Chapter 16. Land Use and Cover Change in Costa Rica: A Geographic Perspective 503
        
        I. Introduction 503
        
        II. Overview of Past and Present Remote Sensing and GIS Studies in Costa Rica 505
        
        III. Methods 508
        
        IV. Results 511
        
        V. Discussion 524
        
        VI. Conclusions 528
        
        References 530
        
        Chapter 17. Gradient Analysis of Biomass in Costa Rica and a First Estimate of Countrywide Emissions of Greenhouse Gases from Bi 533
        
        I. Introduction 533
        
        II. Methods 536
        
        III. Results and Discussion 544
        
        IV. Conclusions 552
        
        References 553
        
        Chapter 18. Forestry in Costa Rica and an Estimate of Energy Potentially Available from Forests 557
        
        I. Introduction 557
        
        II. Use of Costa Rican Forests and the Forestry Industry 558
        
        III. Could the Forest Provide the Energy That Costa Rica Needs for Its Economy? 564
        
        IV. Discussion 569
        
        References 571
        
        Chapter 19. Assessing the Role of Parks for Protecting Forest Resources Using GIS and Spatial Modeling 573
        
        IV. Discussion 569
        
        References 571
        
        I. Introduction 573
        
        II. Using a GIS to Assess the Quality of National Parklands 578
        
        III. Using Spatial Modeling to Assess Resistance to Land Use Change 585
        
        Section VI: Biophysical Analysis of Major Components of the Economy 591
        
        Chapter 20. The Costa Rican Banana Industry: Can It Be Sustainable? 593
        
        I. Introduction 593
        
        II. The Present Role of the Banana Industry in the Costa Rican Economy 602
        
        III. Toward a Sustainable Banana Production Future 616
        
        IV. Visions and Goals 620
        
        References 621
        
        Chapter 21. The Costa Rican Coffee Industry 625
        
        I. Introduction 625
        
        II. How Sustainable Is Sustainable? A Biophysical Perspective 636
        
        III. Why Areas with Suboptimal Growing Conditions Get Higher Selling Prices: A Case Study in the West Central Valley 651
        
        IV. Land Use Changes 654
        
        V. Summary and Conclusions 654
        
        References 655
        
        Chapter 22. Costa Rican Industry: Characteristics, History, and Potential for Sustainability 659
        
        I. Introduction 659
        
        II. The History of the Costa Rican Industrial Sector 660
        
        III. Will Emerging Industries Be Any Different? 663
        
        IV. Sustainability of the Costa Rican Industrial Sector 666
        
        References 674
        
        Chapter 23. The Internationalization of the Costa Rican Economy: A Two-Edged Sword 677
        
        I. Introduction 677
        
        II. Results 684
        
        III. Discussion 690
        
        IV. Conclusion 692
        
        References 693
        
        Chapter 24. An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Structural Adjustment Policies in Costa Rica 695
        
        I. The Costa Rican Strategy of Export-Led Growth 695
        
        II. Discussion: The Political Implications of Structural Adjustment Policies 707
        
        References 721
        
        Chapter 25. Comparative Estimates of Sustainability: Economic, Resource Base, Ecological Footprint, and Emergy 725
        
        I. Introduction 725
        
        II. Summary from Other Chapters of This Book 726
        
        III. Calculating the Ecological Footprint of Costa Rica: Does Costa Rica Fit inside Costa Rica? 727
        
        IV. Emergy, Foreign Trade, and Carrying Capacity in Costa Rica 736
        
        V. Results and Discussion of Emergy Analysis 740
        
        VI. Summary and Conclusions 742
        
        References 743
        
        Chapter 26. The Myth of Sustainable Development 745
        
        I. The Impossibility of Sustainable Development 745
        
        II. Why Conventional Development Does Not Work 753
        
        III. Conclusion: There Is Hope 757
        
        References 761
        
        Appendix I. Low-Cost Mapmaking 763
        
        Appendix II. A Free Micro GIS Program 775
        
        Appendix III 777
        
        Index 783

The Future of Tropical Economies

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