If Inequality Increases, Does It Make a Sound?

There are clear theoretical links among income inequality, wealth inequality, and forest loss in low- and middle-income nations. However, we are aware of little cross-national research that investigates these relationships, and the cross-national research on forest loss has yielded contradictory results. In this study, we examine the relationships among income inequality, wealth inequality, and forest loss from 2001 to 2015 among 67 low- and middle-income nations using ordinary least squares regression models. We find that higher levels of income and wealth inequality correspond with increased forest loss in low- and middle-income nations. We carry out a variety of checks to ensure the findings are not the result of omitted variable bias, endogeneity, or measurement error. We conclude by reviewing the theoretical and methodological implications of the study, along with policy suggestions that may address income inequality, wealth inequality, and forest loss simultaneously in low- and middle-income nations.