Combining debt reduction with halting deforestation seems to be an attractive way of solving two urgent global problems at the same time at hardly any cost. But this view may be overly optimistic. What are the advantages and the drawbacks of debt-for-nature swaps? Are there any better alternatives?

The relatively new concept of debt-for-nature swaps is intended to take account of the connection between the indebtedness of developing countries and the destruction of the environment taking place there, the consequences of which are increasingly also perceived as a threat in the industrial...

Eco-labelling has become an increasingly popular instrument in recent years. Among the new developments which have been called for are that they should also be used as a means of encouraging developing countries to apply stricter environment policies. The following article investigates whether...

This study promotes the understanding of the link between development, environment and international economic relations. It suggests that the growth effects of environmental management may tend to serve as an equalizer, helping to redress the imbalance in real income levels between developed and...