Environment in Decentralized Development

Book excerpt: This publication presents an overview of the concepts and definitions of environment and sustainable development, showing the importance of environment and natural resources for the economies of developing countries. It provides basic knowledge and analytical tools related to environment/economy interactions and how these should be taken into account in decision-making at decentralized, or subnational, level. It reviews the role of government and the instruments at its disposal, in addition to regulatory instruments, to create a context in which environmental issues are analysed and addressed.