Abstract: This chapter provides an overview of trends in oil development in the tropics, followed by a summary of the potential environmental and social impacts of these activities and a discussion of a range of approaches and mechanisms - principally environmental but also social and financial – that can be utilized to reduce these impacts. It concludes with a series of general recommendations of ways for conservationists, governments, oil companies, development agencies, and other interested stakeholders to address these issues.

Keywords: biodiversity, conservation, environmental impact, gas, oil, social impact,