Predicting the impact of the GDP measure on the forest cover using forecasting and regression

Abstract

With the rising challenges of climate change, highest ever extinction rates, scarcity of resources of water, increasing unemployment and inequality, the importance of conservation of forests has never been more critical. On the contrary, we see that the forest cover in the world is under increasing pressure because of economic development. In this research paper, the authors have used computer analytics to get a clear picture of the relationship between the economic growth (indicated by the GDP) and the primary forest cover in three different countries in South America – Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. The authors have analysed to what extent the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) affects the primary forest cover and further predict the values of the primary forest up to 2030 and 2050 in the three countries of study. Through the study, the authors establish a strong relationship between the GDP and the change in the primary forest cover of the three countries.