UN General Assembly
1989

Within this context, we support the proposal to levy an international tax on pollution. The revenue thus obtained could be used for the implementation of ecological preservation programmes or programmes for restoring damaged ecosystems. This revenue would also go to finance environmental protection programmes of developing countries, the vast majority of which today are playing a major role in the preservation of our planet. Not only do they receive practically nothing in return, but the effects of the external debt have turned them into net exporters of capital. This new tax would help restore the flow of credit and finance development activities that could improve conditions of life.