Understandably, developing countries are likely to accept more environmental
damage if their people see it as a ‘price to pay’ for jobs or facilities like roads,
schools or hospitals. Since the 1980s developing countries have faced declining
commodity prices, disadvantageous terms of trade, often the burden of servicing
debt and of structural adjustment programmes, and marked population growth; they
are then asked to conserve resources and avoid environmental degradation
(Mackenzie, 1993; Reed, 1992; 1996). Political as well as economic forces come
into play, and are often difficult to separate. Differences in style and capacity of
government also give rise to divergent valuation (Cairncross, 1995: 35). As
mentioned in earlier sections, where the benefits of environmental protection, and
the expenditure to achieve it, accrue slowly and benefit those yet to be born and