The Informal Sector and the Environment

The informal economy is a major source of environmental pollution and degradation in developing countries, largely due to its unregulated nature and limited capital base. This edited volume demonstrates the challenges and solutions encountered in various sectors of the informal economy, such as urban waste pickers, small-scale farmers, and home-based workers. It emphasizes the need for environmental regulation and economic incentive policies to address these issues and promote inclusive growth.

Format: Hardback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 12 August 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The informal economy, characterized by its lack of government regulation or taxation, plays a significant role in sustaining a substantial portion of the global workforce. It encompasses a diverse and complex range of economic activities that are often overlooked or under-analyzed. Despite its substantial presence, the environmental impact of the informal sector has received limited scrutiny, leading to concerns about its contribution to environmental degradation.

This edited volume highlights the detrimental effects of the informal sector on the environment. It demonstrates that the expansion of economic activity in developing countries, driven by the informal sector, is accompanied by significant environmental pollution. The challenges of implementing environmental regulation and economic incentive policies in this sector are manifold. Economic units in the informal economy are often unregistered, geographically dispersed, and difficult to identify, making it arduous to enforce pollution control measures. Moreover, informal manufacturing units often operate under unscientific and unhealthy conditions, further exacerbating environmental pollution.

The book emphasizes and examines these challenges faced by various sectors of the informal economy, including urban waste pickers, small-scale farmers, informal workers, home-based workers, street vendors, and more. It explores the solutions and strategies employed by these individuals and communities to mitigate the environmental impact of their activities.

To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and contribute to inclusive growth, it is crucial to consider the impact of the informal sector on the economy and the environment. This book makes a significant contribution to the literature on both the informal economy and sustainable development, appealing to readers in economics, geography, politics, environment studies, and public policy.

Chapter 4 of this book is available for preview, providing an insight into the key findings and discussions presented in the rest of the volume.

Weight: 571g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032122663