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Poorer Countries and the Environment: Friends or Foes?

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  • Broad, Robin
  • Cavanagh, John

Abstract

This article focuses on delineating the conditions under which the governments of poorer countries become active defenders and protectors of the environment. It does so based on field work in two poorer countries, El Salvador and Costa Rica, where the governments have instituted moratoria on financially lucrative but environmentally destructive mining in order to protect the environment. Building on these case studies and prior work, the article posits three conditions—related to civil society, the private sector, and the public sector—under which governments of poorer countries implement policies that favor environmental ends over shorter term economic rewards.

Suggested Citation

  • Broad, Robin & Cavanagh, John, 2015. "Poorer Countries and the Environment: Friends or Foes?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 419-431.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:72:y:2015:i:c:p:419-431
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.03.007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Jui-Che Tu & Yukari Nagai & Min-Chieh Shih, 2018. "Establishing Design Strategies and an Assessment Tool of Home Appliances to Promote Sustainable Behavior for the New Poor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Daniel Durán-Sandoval & Gemma Durán-Romero & Francesca Uleri, 2023. "How Much Food Loss and Waste Do Countries with Problems with Food Security Generate?," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, April.
    4. Zoe Phillips Williams, 2016. "Investor-State Arbitration in Domestic Mining Conflicts," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 16(4), pages 32-49, November.

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