Honduras natural resource policy inventory : USAID/ROCAP RENARM [regional environmental and natural resource management] project

This report provides an inventory of over 100 policies that have significant effects on the use of natural resources and the environment in Honduras. Chapter 1 identifies four classes of environmental problems: (1) sustainable agriculture, including land utilization, soil fertility, and pesticide use; (2) production from natural forests, including deforestation, reforestation, and forest management; (3) wildlands and biodiversity, which encompasses such areas as endangered species protection and park and reserve management; and (4) watershed management, which includes water use and quality. Volume I is the executive summary. Chapter II describes important economic issues in Honduras along with recent changes in economic policy. Chapter III discusses the public and private institutions that affect resource use and the environment, while Chapter IV presents the findings of the policy inventory by category: macroeconomic, monetary, fiscal, and trade policies: tenure policies; regulatory and sectoral policies; and development and environmental programs. The report demonstrates the importance of considering the natural resource and environmental effects of economic development policies. Short-term economic gains often come at the cost of long-term economic and environmental gains. A major conclusion is that state ownership of most resources has increased the rate of resource depletion in Honduras, suggesting that alternative ownership arrangements need to be explored.