The economies of Central and Eastern Europe have inherited serious burdens of environmental pollution, while their economic scope for dealing with these is limited. The transition to the market economy offers chances for improvement, but it also brings new environmental problems. How will the...

It is not only the economic gap between “North” and “South” which has dramatically widened: the same is true of the ecological gap. However, because the Earth is one ecological unit, the progressively worsening environmental crisis in the developing countries is of significance for the...

Concrete steps aimed at combating global warming (or the "greenhouse effect") are intended to be decided at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which is to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. So far, it has not proved possible to reach a consensus on several...

In view of the extent of environmental destruction in the Third World, it is necessary to make urgent use of all the instruments available in order to protect the environment and conserve natural resources. However, the priorities both of the people there and of their governments are more often...

The international coordination of environmental protection is particularly difficult with regard to developing countries. How can the industrialized countries be persuaded that financial compensation to the developing countries is economically justified? How can external support for the...

The economic reforms taking place in Eastern Europe have in many respects an unfavourable influence on environmental protection. The adjustment of Eastern Europe to the environmental requirements of the European Union necessitates far-reaching changes in the very philosophy of transition,...

Although there is a rationale for a more conservative management of the remaining tropical forests, policy-makers in the tropical countries tend to be reluctant to implement appropriate policy measures, because they fear the short-run economic costs of environmental protection. Taking Indonesia...