ABSTRACT
In the 1960s, during the decolonization process, developing countries insisted upon controlling their natural resources. Many were suspicious of the Western environmental intentions, fearing a form of neocolonialism (see Critical political economy). In 1962, they strongly advocated for the adoption of the United Nations Resolution 1803 on the Permanent Sovereignty Over Natural Resources, recognizing “the inalienable right of all states freely to dispose of their natural wealth and resources in accordance with their national interests.” Still today, developing countries frequently refer to this principle and make sure that negotiated texts explicitly recall it (Conca 1994; Hochstetler et al. 2000).
