This article employs a methodological framework based on SWOT analysis to identify the most important factors and concerns in order for public policy organisations to encourage local entrepreneurs to invest in sustainable development. A survey was conducted to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that the Greek Development Agencies (DAs) consider important for encouraging local entrepreneurs to exploit new opportunities using local natural resources. The results indicate that institutional, structural, social and economic factors can play a critical role in whether entrepreneurs invest in new business ventures associated with natural resources.

As the subject of how economic development affects the quality of the natural environment has gained great momentum, this paper focuses on examining the extent to which the openness of a market economy and the quality of the institution affect environmental performance. The majority of the current studies focus on the Environmental Kuznets Curve and the level of economic growth. This paper addresses this question by relating environmental (“Environmental Performance Index”) to macroeconomic (Gross Domestic Product per capita, “Open Markets Index”) and governance indicators (“Worldwide Governance Indicators”). The sample consists of 75 countries, including all G20 and EU members, comprising “more than 90% of global trade and investment”. Findings show that the Environmental Performance Index is positively correlated to each of the (institutional) indicators, so as to confirm that the selected indices are consistent with previous studies, suggesting that environmental performance increases in line with economic development and that good governance increases a country’s levels of environmental protection. By applying factor analysis, an empirical model of the Environmental Performance Index is estimated, suggesting that there is a significant positive correlation between a country’s economic growth, the openness of an economy, high levels of effective governance, and its environmental performance.