Conserving Biodiversity in Developing Countries

Countries richest in biological diversity ironically are often the poorest economically. In these countries, in which humans struggle daily to meet urgent basic needs, efforts to protect the environment will succeed only if implemented in the context of promoting economic growth. Yet economic growth itself depends on the normal functioning of ecosystems and on a sustainable supply of natural resources. This mutual dependence of development and environmental protection must provide the conceptual basis for any successful effort to protect diversity in the third world. Accordingly, the U.S. government, through the Agency for International Development (USAID), supports an extensive program to protect the world's biological resources as an integral component of foreign assistance. A primary goal of USAID's biodiversity program is to maximize the potential for both economic and environmental security in developing countries. A greater reliance on market forces, the judicious application of economic incentives, and the use of effective economic instruments within the framework of constructive regulations provide the foundation for USAID's approach to conserving biological diversity.