ABSTRACT
The past thirty years have seen a remarkable increase in the volume and value of global trade, investment, and finance. The intensification of economic globalization during this period has sparked a great deal of debate over the impact of global economic relationships on the natural environment (see Clapp and Dauvergne 2005). On the one hand, proponents of economic globalization stress the positive impacts that this process has on the environment and push for policies that promote further international economic integration as a means by which to promote global sustainable development. Critics of globalization, on the other hand, see mainly negative environmental impacts as a result of growing international economic relationships and push for environmental policies that rein in global economic transactions. Many see this debate as too polarized, and as a result a third view has begun to gain prominence. This “middle-ground” perspective sees strengths and weaknesses in both arguments. According to this view, while in some instances global economic linkages can lead to environmental harm, with proper management the global economy can be a force for environmental improvement.
