European Economic Development and the Environment

My contribution will consider the role played by environment in the development of the European economy from pre-industrial times to the present. The first part examines the connection between natural resources, weather and economic development, with particular reference to the agricultural sector, which is fundamental. After showing the complexity of this relationship, I will attempt to establish whether better environmental conditions, with respect to other parts of the world, were amongst the causes of the precocious development of Europe. The second part examines the modern period and attempts to deal with the crucial aspect of the relationship between resources and population, in the light of the considerable population growth of the twentieth century, also questioning its actual environmental sustainability. The last part sets down the biggest environmental problems facing Europe today, but also the great possibilities for development offered by an adequate evaluation of the environment