EEB

OECD

The OECD and the Environment

• The OECD and the Environment
• What is the EEB doing?

Amongst the early landmarks in the OECD's work on environmental policy was the historic Recommendation by the OECD Council in 1972 on the 'Polluter Pays Principle'.

Complemented by the 'User Pays Principle', it is one of a number of principles which the OECD has espoused in the last three decades to encourage the integration of environmental and economic policy. Its focus on trade liberalisation is more problematic for environmental organisations.

In order to better understand how environmental and economic forces and trends interact the OECD Environmental Outlook was prepared in 2001.

In response to the analysis in the OECD Environmental Outlook, OECD Environment Ministers agreed, in 2001, an ambitious Environmental Strategy for the first decade of the 21st century. The strategy sets out clear directions for environmentally sustainable policies and includes these key objectives:

• maintaining the integrity of ecosystems through the efficient management of natural resources.
• enhancing the quality of life.
• global environmental interdependence.
• Improving governance and co-operation.

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