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Land Restitution And Deforestation In Colombia

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Peralta
  • Marie Boltz
  • Philippe Delacote
  • Kenneth Houngbedji
  • Julien Jacob

Abstract

We examine the environmental impacts of legal provisions to restore land rights for populations displaced by armed conflict, focusing on Colombia’s Land Restitution Law. Leveraging annual satellite data on forest cover loss, detailed records of the timing and location of restitution claims, and a staggered difference-in-differences strategy, we find that land restitution is associated with increased tree cover loss. Importantly, this effect is not driven by deforestation in primary forests, but rather by forest loss in areas formerly used for agriculture. These findings highlight the environmental trade-offs inherent in post-conflict land reforms. While restoring land rights is critical for transitional justice and economic recovery, attention to environmental outcomes is essential to ensure sustainable and equitable reconstruction.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Peralta & Marie Boltz & Philippe Delacote & Kenneth Houngbedji & Julien Jacob, 2025. "Land Restitution And Deforestation In Colombia," Working Papers of BETA 2025-38, Bureau d'Economie Théorique et Appliquée, UDS, Strasbourg.
    • Handle: RePEc:ulp:sbbeta:2025-38
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Wolfersberger, Julien & Amacher, Gregory S. & Delacote, Philippe & Dragicevic, Arnaud, 2022. "The dynamics of deforestation and reforestation in a developing economy," Environment and Development Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 272-293, June.
    2. Rune Christiansen & Matthias Baumann & Tobias Kuemmerle & Miguel D. Mahecha & Jonas Peters, 2022. "Toward Causal Inference for Spatio-Temporal Data: Conflict and Forest Loss in Colombia," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 117(538), pages 591-601, April.
    3. Leopoldo Fergussony Dario Romeroz Juan F. Vargas, 2013. "The environmental impact of civil conflict The deforestation effect of paramilitary expansion in Colombia," Working Papers 201359, Latin American and Caribbean Environmental Economics Program, revised Dec 2013.
    4. Cl'ement de Chaisemartin & Xavier D'Haultf{oe}uille, 2020. "Difference-in-Differences Estimators of Intertemporal Treatment Effects," Papers 2007.04267, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2024.
    5. Adriana Camacho & Catherine Rodriguez, 2013. "Firm Exit and Armed Conflict in Colombia," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 57(1), pages 89-116, February.
    6. Bloem, Jeffrey R. & Damon, Amy & Francis, David C. & Mitchell, Harrison, 2025. "Herder-related violence, labor allocation, and the gendered response of agricultural households," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    7. Andres Suarez & Paola Andrea Árias-Arévalo & Eliana Martínez-Mera, 2018. "Environmental sustainability in post-conflict countries: insights for rural Colombia," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 997-1015, June.
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    9. Katharine J. Mach & Caroline M. Kraan & W. Neil Adger & Halvard Buhaug & Marshall Burke & James D. Fearon & Christopher B. Field & Cullen S. Hendrix & Jean-Francois Maystadt & John O’Loughlin & Philip, 2019. "Climate as a risk factor for armed conflict," Nature, Nature, vol. 571(7764), pages 193-197, July.
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    13. Unruh, Jon D., 2019. "Crafting land restitution in Colombia: Optimizing a legal, social and institutional framework," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 403-405.
    14. Jennifer Alix-Garcia & Anne Bartlett & David Saah, 2013. "The landscape of conflict: IDPs, aid and land-use change in Darfur," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 13(4), pages 589-617, July.
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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • O12 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Microeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions

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