Māris kļaviņŠ, azamat azizov, JĀnis zaļoksnis environment, pollution, development: the case of uzbekistan

 10.3.3.  International corporations
The world economic system, which includes individual enter-
prises, companies, joint-stock companies and international cor po-
ra tions, exploits natural resources, and the result is environ mental 
pollution. This is a cause of constant complications and even con-
flicts between economic development and environ mental protection. 
It is widely believed that it is the large corporations, exercising a 
dis pro portionate influence on political processes, that should be held 
respon sible for the current degradation of the environ ment and de-
pletion of the world resources. At the same time, corporations and 
the  business  world  make  efforts  to  diminish  their  negative  impact 
on the environ ment by working out and implementing standards of 
good management practice; they also attempt to present themselves 
to the society in a ‘greener’ light.
However, facts show that there is a close connection between 
sectors of industry and global environ mental issues.
The industry and service sectors have great influence not only 
on the environ ment but also on the respective national governments 
and the development of their policies and development plans. How-
ever, large companies seldom get directly involved in politics. Usu-
ally  this  is  the  sphere  of  specific  non-governmental  organisations 
connected with industry and trade. One such major organisation is 
the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), 
representing  over  170 sectors  of  industry.  This  organisation  was 
founded in 1991, shortly before the UN Conference on Environ ment 
and Development, to summarise and publicise the opinion of the 
business world on future tendencies.
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) also integrates 
different  and  diverse  organisations  to  join  in  the  discussions  on 
international environ mental issues. 

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10. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
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The activities of organisations for international environ mental 
management include participation in global environ mental forums 
or lobbying in their own countries. Sometimes organisations try to 
influence governments as they participate in the drafting of inter-
national regulations or standards to corner the market for their 
goods or services as well as to secure other advantages and increase 
their capacity to compete in global markets.
In many cases the industry and trade sectors want to achieve 
adop tion of universal international standards in order to exclude 
competitors.
It is noteworthy that tackling many global environ mental issues 
is even unfeasible without drawing in the industry and trade sectors, 
principally in relation to environ mental pollution which underlies 
unwelcome climate changes and ozone depletion. Many sectors feel 
under threat as they are found co-responsible for causing environ-
mental  problems;  others  are  ready  to  offer  solutions  along  with 
reaping huge profits for themselves.
Undeniably, producers have an increasingly powerful say 
not only in the development of the environ mental policy in their 
countries but also in the development of a new kind of relations 
with the public. Voluntary commitments concerning environ ment-
friendly production and an appropriate mechanism of control of 
certification  and  compliance  featuring  distinct  eco-labelling  win 
public acclaim.