Advocates of sustainable development argue for a balance between economic growth and environmental protection. But, Alan Oxley argues, poor countries are increasingly urged to follow policies that undermine their growth. That is due partly to advocacy of anti-growth policies by nongovernmental organizations, such as the World Wildlife Fund, and partly to the adoption of similar advice by international bodies, such as the World Bank and the European Union. Donald Sherk will discuss the relationship between NGOs and African governments.