Background: motivating businesses to engage in more environmental protection
In many industrial firms in developing countries substances that are harmful to the environment and to health are not correctly used or disposed of. Many of these countries’ inhabitants have to suffer the direct consequences – for example contaminated drinking water. Damage to the environment can be so severe that development in the affected countries is inhibited in the long term.
Economic development cannot take place at the expense of the environment, but must conserve natural resources - that is one of the principles of German development cooperation in the economic sector. The German government's economic policy is therefore based on the principles of a social and ecological market economy. Thus, it is the state's responsibility to adopt a precautionary environmental policy and ensure that national and international standards are met.