This paper explores whether natural resource abundance is a precondition for poor economic performance or can be avoided with suitable policy responses. To ascertain the proper remedy package, three countries are examined: Norway, Indonesia and Botswana. Dutch Disease theory focuses on...

Genuine Savings Index (GSI) is a simple indicator to assess an economy's sustainability. It defines wealth more broadly than orthodox national accounts, and recalculates national savings figures based on this new definition. Genuine Savings (GS) aim to represent the value of the net change in...

A main problem in emerging countries is the reduction of poverty in rural areas with sustainable agricultural systems. This study analyses differences between agroecology (a pattern of sustainable economic development with ecological processes directed to reduce production costs and support...

Are natural resources a "curse" or a "blessing"? The empirical evidence suggests either outcome is possible. The paper surveys a variety of hypotheses and supporting evidence for why some countries benefit and others lose from the presence of natural resources. These include that a resource...

Are natural resources a “curse” or a “blessing”? The empirical evidence suggests either outcome is possible. The paper surveys a variety of hypotheses and supporting evidence for why some countries benefit and others lose from the presence of natural resources. These include that a...

This paper compares Mauritius and Trinidad and Tobago which have a very similar climate, history, institutional framework, ethnic composition, size, etc., but are different in the natural resources they possess. Trinidad and Tobago has achieved a higher per capita GDP based on its petrodollars,...