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Table 3 Opportunity costs of avoided deforestation as presented in UNFCCC report Investment and Financial Flows to Address Climate Change [65, 66].

From: An assessment of monitoring requirements and costs of 'Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation'

Main/Direct Drivers

Area of deforestation/degradation [million ha]

Share of total deforested/degraded area [%]

Opportunity cost of forest conversion [US$/km2]

Commercial agriculture

   

   Commercial crops

2.6

20%

224,700

   Cattle ranching (large-scale)

1.6

12%

49,800

Subsistence farming

   

   Small scale agriculture/shifting cultivation

5.5

42%

39,200

   Fuel-wood and NTFP* gathering

0.75

6%

26,300

Wood extraction

   

   Commercial (legal and illegal)

1.8

14%

175,100

   Fuel-wood/charcoal (traded)

0.7

5%

12,300

Total

12.9

100%

-

  1. * NTFP are non-timber forest products.