Fates of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation in Central America are inextricably linked to U.S. drug policy
DIFFERENT APPROACH TO U.S. DRUG POLICY NEEDED TO MEET CONSERVATION GOALS
- Counterdrug interdiction pushes cocaine trafficking into biodiverse landscapes.
- Analyses integrating remote sensing and socioeconomic data can identify and quantify land use/cover-change caused by illicit economies.
- Urgent need for such analyses to inform action to mitigate climate change and biodiversity loss in Central America.
- NASA’s role in Earth observation is essential for evaluating long-running U.S. policies.
- Long-term effects of U.S. drug policy undermine international conservation efforts.
