Environmental issues in Natural Resources Projects are considered in different levels of flexibility, with profound differences from one country to another. It is interesting to observe that, in most cases, there is a direct relation between the level of economic development of the country and the level of Environmental requirements for these
projects.

This paper analyses the cost of environmental degradation with specific focus to developing countries. It will also study the reasons those countries have to set their standards and the conflicts between them. It includes the higher standards of environmental requirements and their impact on the profitability of NRP's. In this area, special attention will be given to latest topics, like abandonment of petroleum offshore installations, the social impacts
of petroleum exploration in some tropical ecosystems and indigenous areas, their costs and effects on the Projects.