Globalization, Economic Flows, and Land-Use Transitions

This review examines contemporary globalization and economic flows and the impact of these forces on land-use transitions. It finds that the contemporary period of globalization is defined by an integrated global system and massive flows of trade, finance, and investments. The global conditions, including these flows, are both indirect and direct drivers of land-use and land-cover change. The resultant global land-use system dynamics have shifted in well-defined ways, including the speed, direction, location, and timing of land-use transitions. Studying the contemporary global system of land use and land cover requires new models capable of tracing the sources and effects of globalization and economic flows.