Economic Progress and the Environment: One Developing Country's Policy CrisisThis book provides a probing examination of problems unique to the world's poorest countries as they attempt to achieve environmentally sound economic development. Using Ecuador as an example, the authors present six case studies that focus on tropical deforestation, farmland degradation, inefficient water resource development, oil industry pollution in Amazonian rainforests, disturbance of coastal ecosystems, and management of the Galapagos Islands. The authors argue throughout the book that fundamental policy reforms are needed both to meet the challenge of mounting resource scarcity and to achieve sustainable economic progress. They also make the case that resource users' property rights must be strengthened, market forces given freer reign, and investment stepped up in human capital and in the rural economy's scientific and technological base. Finally, the book provides support for the notion that economic development and environmental conservation can be complementary provided that intelligent policies are implemented. The book will be useful to development and resource economists, resource management specialists, and conservation professionals. These cases also offer valuable insights for environmentally concerned general readers. |
Contents
Case Studies | 6 |
Causes of Increasing Resource Scarcity | 10 |
Policy Crisis and Environmental Degradation | 21 |
Copyright | |
9 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
addition agrarian reform agricultural land clearing analysis annual areas average benefits Block 16 capita GDP Chapter coastal ecosystems Colombia conservation Costa costs country's countryside crop and livestock cropland cubic meters Daule River Daule-Peripa declining deforestation degradation demographic depletion derived demand early economic ecosystems Ecuador Ecuadorian environment erosion example exports farmers fertility Fundación Natura Galápagos Galápagos Islands Guayaquil Guayas River hectares human capital IBRD increase INEC INECEL INERHI inputs Instituto investment irrigation Latin America livestock production macroeconomic macroeconomic and sectoral mangrove maricultural markets ment million hectares natural ecosystems natural resources Nueva Loja operations output percent Petroecuador petroleum pollution control population growth projects property rights public sector Quito rates real estate recent renewable resources resource scarcity rural economy sectoral policies shrimp shrimp industry shrimp ponds Sierra soil Southgate subsidies Table timber tion tourism trends tropical forests urban