Desertification occurs in drylands,which span a third of the earth ’s land surface in over 110 countries.It influences the lives of about 500 000 people – the so-called environmental refugees –including many of the world ’s poorest and most marginalized populations.

Focusing on smallholders’ decision making, this report presents trade-offs among the key development objectives - environmental sustainability, economic growth, and poverty alleviation - affecting forest use in two settlements in the western Brazilian Amazon.

What factors motivate developing countries to prevent deforestation, which can cause serious environmental damage, such as flooding? Do democratic states take action more effectively than authoritarian states?

The incidence of skin diseases, including leishmaniasis, spread by different varieties of sandflies in tropical areas has increased dramatically in humans. Because of deforestation, sandflies have encroached further into human settlements.

Kissidougou in Guinea, West Africa, is characterised by so-called 'forest islands', relics - it was assumed -of original dense forest cover. It was also assumed that local cultivation practice was to blame for the destruction of the trees.