Economic and Social Dimensions of Environmental Behavior: Balancing Conservation and Development in Bhutan

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2010.01512.x Byline: JEREMY S. BROOKS ([dagger]*) Keywords: Bhutan; Buddhism; conservation; development; environmental behavior Abstract: Abstract: One of the primary approaches to environmental conservation emphasizes economic development. This conservation-and-development approach often ignores how development affects sociocultural characteristics that may motivate environmental behaviors (actions that actively benefit or limit one's negative impacts on the environment). Evolutionary anthropologists espouse a theoretical perspective that supports the conservation-and-development approach. Others believe sociocultural factors are the foundation of environmental behavior and worry that development will erode the values and norms that may shape such behavior. My research assistants and I surveyed 170 individuals from eight villages in two communities in Bhutan to explore whether economic (wealth, market integration) or social (religious behaviors, environmental values, social capital) factors are better indicators of environmental behavior. I used multilevel modeling to analyze use of fuelwood, use of agricultural chemicals, and tree planting, and to determine whether social norms were associated with these behaviors. Although economic factors were more often associated with these behaviors than social factors, local conditions and control variables were the best indicators of behaviors. Furthermore, economic factors were not always associated with positive environmental outcomes. Instead, farmers attempted to make the best economic decisions given their circumstances rather than seeking to conserve resources. Although religion was not a strong predictor of any of the behaviors I examined, I found evidence that the understanding of Buddhist philosophy is growing, which suggests that social factors may play a more prominent role as Bhutan's development progresses. My results highlight the need for conservation planners to be aware of local conditions when planning and implementing policies aimed at motivating environmental behaviors and that economic and social motivations for conservation may not be mutually exclusive. Abstract (Spanish): Dimensiones Economicas y Sociales del Comportamiento Ambiental: Balanceando Conservacion y Desarrollo en Butan Resumen: Uno de los principales enfoques de la conservacion ambiental enfatiza el desarrollo economico. Este enfoque de conservacion y desarrollo a menudo ignora el efecto del desarrollo sobre las caracteristicas socioculturales que pueden motivar los comportamientos ambientales (acciones que activamente benefician o limitan los impactos negativos sobre el ambiente). Antropologos evolutivos se adhieren a una perspectiva teorica que soporta el enfoque de conservacion y desarrollo. Otros consideran que los factores socioculturales son el fundamento del comportamiento ambiental y que el desarrollo erosionara los valores y normas que pueden moldear tal comportamiento. Entreviste a 170 individuos de ocho poblados en dos comunidades en Butan para explorar si factores economicos (riqueza, integracion del mercado) o sociales (comportamientos religiosos, valores ambientales, capital social) son mejores indicadores del comportamiento ambiental. Utilice modelado de niveles multiples para analizar el uso de lena, de agroquimicos y sembrado de arboles, y para determinar si las normas sociales se asociaban con estos comportamientos. Aunque los factores economicos se asociaron mas a menudo con estos comportamientos que los factores sociales, las condiciones locales y las variables de control fueron los mejores indicadores de estos comportamientos. Mas aun, los factores economicos no siempre se asociaron con resultados ambientales positivos. Mas bien, los campesinos intentaron tomar las mejores decisiones economicas dadas sus circunstancias en lugar de intentar conservar los recursos. Aunque la religion no fue un predictor robusto de ningunos de los comportamientos que examine, encontre evidencia de que el entendimiento de la filosofia budista esta creciendo, lo que sugiere que los factores sociales pueden jugar un papel mas prominente a medida que el desarrollo de Butan progrese. Mis resultados resaltan la necesidad de que los planificadores de la conservacion esten conscientes de las condiciones locales cuando planifiquen e implementen politicas enfocadas a la motivacion de comportamientos ambientales y que las motivaciones economicas y sociales para la conservacion pueden no ser mutuamente excluyentes. Author Affiliation: ([dagger])Graduate Group in Ecology, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 U.S.A. Article History: Paper submitted July 23, 2009; revised manuscript accepted January 20, 2010. Article note: (*) Current address: Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801, U.S.A., email brooksj@illinois.edu