Private Capital Flows and the Environment: Lessons from Latin America

Many different types of private investment are described and their impact on the environment analyzed, leading to the conclusion - surprising for many - that improved environmental performance can accompany foreign direct investment. The book, the first in-depth study of these important links, is built around a series of case studies of various industries in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica. The authors, a multi-national, multi-disciplinary team of experts, show how governments of developing countries can actually attract foreign investors by integrating environmental considerations into their investment promotion efforts. The book also identifies points of leverage for actions by governments, investors, environmental groups, and customers to increase even further the environmental benefits that can accompany private capital flows.

This book makes an important and timely contribution to the debate on foreign direct investment and sustainable development. It will be of great interest to scholars and students of environmental economics, development economics, international finance, law, and management as well as to policymakers, environmental advocates, and private investors.

Edited by Bradford S. Gentry, Project Director, Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Yale University, US