Many, understandably, focus on national policies and development strategies. Others stress the urgency for international action, controls, sanctions and financial support. Still others emphasize local level initiatives and alternatives. No matter how sincere advocates of these different approaches may be, they usually have little to say about what social forces can be mobilized to implement them. The preceding review of interacting processes, policies and institutions at local, national and international levels leading to accelerating Amazonian deforestation suggest that there are no simple remedies.
Systemic problems require systemic solutions.
Existing social science paradigms are rather vague about what specific social actors in particular situations should do to bring about desirable social change, or how to cope with their unanticipated implications when they occur. Further research on the social dynamics of deforestation in the Amazon region could help in identifying opportunities and obstacles in pursuing alternatives. Such research would be directed initially at analysing local level alternatives with emphasis not only on their impact on deforestation but also on the livelihood of those groups living in or near and depending on the forest. Ultimately, solutions have to reach the local level where the tropical rain forest is being cut and burned. Therefore, this is the logical place to begin analysis of alternatives.