Costs of Inaction on Key Environmental Challenges

Countries today face numerous environmental policy challenges, such as climate change, air and water pollution, natural-resource management, natural disasters and environment-related hazards. The costs of not responding to them can be considerable, in some cases representing a significant drag on OECD economies. This report provides introductory perspectives on the costs of inaction and discusses some of the future problems likely to be encountered in this very complex area.