Student Takeover Season: Deforestation in Bolivia

In this student takeover episode  of the Meliora Podcast from the Sustainability & Resilience Institute at the University of Southampton  we explore the pressing issue of deforestation in Bolivia, shedding light on its underlying causes and far-reaching impacts. Our guests delve into the three primary factors driving deforestation in Bolivia, namely, mechanised agriculture, cattle ranching, and small-scale agriculture. These activities, fuelled by the economic demand for commodities like beef and soy, have resulted in widespread deforestation, particularly in regions such as Santa Cruz. 

Despite the government’s continuous efforts to address deforestation by implementing land-use laws and policies that specifically target agriculture, numerous challenges still remain. The conflicting roles of the government, its economic reliance on agriculture, and the prevalent issue of food insecurity all contribute to the persistent problem of deforestation. 

The conversation also explores the significant environmental impacts of deforestation, drawing connections to global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as Life on Land (SDG 15), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Zero Hunger (SDG 2). It emphasises the complex interplay between socio-economic factors, policy decisions, and environmental sustainability in the fight against deforestation.

Episode team: Will Stevenson, Jude Mclean, Demi Murphy, Edward Robinson, Ka Yin Shi, Krystyna Sotiriou

This episode is part of the Student Takeover Season on the Meliora Podcast, and is a group project from the University of Southampton 'Global Sustainability Challenges' module.