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Debt for nature swaps

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  • Occhiolini, Michael

Abstract

Debt for nature swaps involve the exchange of a debtor country's external obligation for that country's agreement to use local currency instruments to support a specific environmental project, such as development of conservation management plans, training of park personnel, or environmental education activities. These agreements are often described as deals where everyone benefits : the debtor country reduces its external debt, the environmental group can leverage its original donation amount, and banks profit from selling their debt on the secondary market or from the publicity value of donating the debt to the environmental group. However, this is a too simplistic analysis of debt for nature agreements. This paper examines whether the debtor country and environmental group benefits from the swap compared to the alternative of a straight donation of funds from the environmental group to the developing country, as well as the incentives that commercial banks have to donate, rather than sell, debt to international environmental groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Occhiolini, Michael, 1990. "Debt for nature swaps," Policy Research Working Paper Series 393, The World Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:393
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeremy Bulow & Kenneth Rogoff, 1988. "The Buyback Boondoggle," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 19(2), pages 675-704.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mohr, Ernst & Thomas, Jonathan P., 1998. "Pooling sovereign risks: The case of environmental treaties and international debt," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(1), pages 173-190, February.
    2. Mohr, Ernst, 1992. "The impact of sovereign intertemporal trade and cross-default clauses on the sustainability and efficiency of environmental treaties," Kiel Working Papers 522, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.
    3. Simeth, Nagihan, 2025. "Debt-for-nature swaps: A case study of Gabon," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).

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