Investing in Threatened Species Conservation: Does Corruption Outweigh Purchasing Power?
2011

Investing in Threatened Species Conservation: Does Corruption Outweigh Purchasing Power?

publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Garnett Stephen T., Joseph Liana N., Watson James E. M., Zander Kerstin K.

Primary Institution: Research Institute for Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University

Hypothesis

Does the influence of corruption on investment decisions outweigh the potential value for money in conservation efforts for threatened species?

Conclusion

Investing in conservation in less corrupt countries yields better returns for threatened species than in corrupt countries, despite the latter often being cheaper.

Supporting Evidence

  • Countries with lower corruption levels tend to provide better returns on conservation investments.
  • Investment strategies that prioritize purchasing power over corruption yield more species managed.
  • Corruption can significantly reduce the effectiveness of conservation funding.

Takeaway

This study looks at how corruption affects where we should invest money to save endangered animals. It finds that it's better to invest in countries that are less corrupt, even if they are more expensive.

Methodology

The study analyzed the relationship between corruption, purchasing power parity, and investment decisions for single site threatened species across various countries.

Potential Biases

Potential biases may arise from the reliance on corruption indices and purchasing power data, which may not fully capture the complexities of investment environments.

Limitations

The study is limited by the availability of corruption and purchasing power data for only a subset of countries.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0022749

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