Economically valuing Caatinga

Abstract

The present research aimed to identify the willingness to pay of the population for the Caatinga recovery of the municipality of Mossoró/RN. This study starts from the understanding that the deforestation of the caatinga biome occurs due to the direct or indirect use caused by the society. In this sense, a tool of neoclassical microeconomic theory was used, which deals with environmental economics. Where we chose to use the contingent valuation method. A total of 150 questionnaires were applied in the city of Mossoró, which included objective and semi-structured questions, with easy language and encompassing social, economic, environmental and other issues. The collected data were compiled and analyzed by statistical software, performing multiple linear regression and applying the logit model, resulting in the demand function of the individuals by the caatinga, having as determinants of the willingness to pay: income (Y), linkage (V), family size (F) and degree of environmental awareness (G). The observed model was compatible with that estimated by the model, thus validating the present research. In this sense, this result confirms the importance of the caatinga revealed by the preferences of the population of the municipality of Mossoró, who was willing to collaborate financially with the recovery of the caatinga. It concludes by indicating future researches that estimate the MVC for a portion of the society directly affected by the availability of the caatinga, which provides a comparative analysis with this study.