Summary:Many governments believe that environmental degradation and climate change pose international and trans-boundary risks to human populations, economies, and ecosystems that could result in a worsening of poverty, social tensions, and political stability. To confront these global challenges, countries have negotiated various international agreements to protect the environment, reduce pollution, conserve natural resources, and promote sustainable growth. While some observers call upon industrialized countries to take the lead in addressing these issues, there is recognition that efforts are unlikely to be sufficient without similar measures being implemented in developing countries. However, developing countries, which tend to be focused on poverty reduction and economic growth, may not have the financial resources, technological know-how, and/or institutional capacity to deploy such measures on their own. Therefore, international development assistance has been a principal method for governments to support developing country action on global environmental problems.
