Managing natural resources in the Pacific Islands

Abstract

Pacific Island Countries (PICs) are heavily dependent on natural resources and likely to remain so for the near future, making resource management an issue of critical importance for economic development. This chapter employs a simple neoclassical growth model to diagnose deficiencies in current policy regimes and suggest possible alternatives. Current practices in the exploitation of the regions mineral, tuna, and forest resources are used to illustrate problems and suggest possible policy interventions.