The equivocal relationship of the environment and the economy

The reduction of environmental impacts may represent considerable investments to industrial enterprises; faced on the one hand with regulatory or societal pressures requiring the adoption of effective pollution control systems, and secondly, the economic and competitive that limit non-productive investments, these companies often have a margin of manoeuvre very close. The economic implications of environmental actions seem even more difficult to grasp that the studies on the subject are contradictory results.

Environmental issues now represent a strategic issue for enterprises. Long depends on the needs of the economy and regarded as a set of unlimited resources, the environment has emerged as a collective concern that must be integrated into productive activities. The regulatory pressures and societal respect for the ecosystem impose constraints that businesses can not shirk without compromising the legitimacy of their activities. Therefore, openness to environmental values and investments in pollution control equipment seen as a necessity to ensure the sustainability of industrial activity. The response of the firm to external pressures and social challenges is indeed a classical reflection of the strategy and economic analysis. Many models, which are often included in the study of environmental policies, have been attached to analyze the response more or less proactive enterprise deal with societal pressures (Schuman, 1995; Freeman, 1984; Pasquero, 1980; Ackerman and Bauer , 1976; Jolly, 1990).

However, in recent years, these issues tend to emerge more as a source of economic opportunity than as a constraint to which businesses must comply (Elkington, 1987; Comolet, 1991; Winter, 1989; Dilorenzo, 1991; Shrivastava, 1995 ; Lanoie and Tanguay, 1999). The concept of sustainable development, omnipresent in the speech business and government since the end of 80 years has greatly contributed to popularize this vision "win-win" relationships between actions environmental and economic interests.

However, empirical studies on the environment and productivity results often contradictory. Some work accrediting "Porter hypothesis" while others rather confirm the classic economic model, which considers pollution as a negative externality taking into account the cost can drain productivity.

The discussions on this topic have not only strategic implications on the choice of environmental investments, but also political and environmental consequences, the economic argument is often put forward to delay or to question the appropriateness of certain programs to reduce pollution.