Human Security Implications of Illegal Logging: A Multidimensional Risk Analysis and Contextual Case Study of Serbia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66050/md3gq293Keywords:
Illegal logging, human security, forest governance, risk analysis, qualitative forest degradation, rural depopulation, SerbiaAbstract
Illegal logging is a pervasive cause of global environmental degradation, the loss of state revenue, and threats to local communities. Beyond constituting a form of crime and causing environmental damage, the illegal extraction of timber fundamentally undermines key pillars of human security. This study applies the seven-dimensional human security framework defined by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP, 1994)—encompassing environmental, economic, political, health, food, personal, and community security—to examine the structural mechanisms and cascading risks associated with illegal logging. Using an analytical matrix, we synthesize global data and compare them with a case study of the Republic of Serbia. Official statistical data in Serbia show a 12.53 percentage-point increase in forest cover between 1979 and 2023 (representing a growth in reported forest area of approximately 51.5%). However, our analysis reveals that this quantitative indicator primarily reflects changes in inventory methodology and the mass depopulation of rural areas, rather than ecological recovery. At the same time, remote sensing data indicate a loss of 74,200 hectares of forest cover between 2001 and 2023, evidencing the qualitative degradation of mature forest communities. In this paper, we present public policy mechanisms for combating forestry crime, including digital chain-of-custody monitoring, harmonized condition monitoring, and capacity building for judicial authorities.
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