Only a small fraction of the results of ecological research are currently applied to regulate or to improve economic development. This situation reflects the fact that most ecological research–even so-called applied research–is curiosity driven and not demand driven. In this article, the author argues that the application of ecological research to economic development has decreased in recent times, for two main reasons. First, many ecologists simply do not recognize that decision-making about development is, to a large extent, driven and shaped by a global economy and an information society. Second, some ecological principles and practices, when used rigidly, may not be applicable to development issues. Nevertheless, new tools for integrating ecology and economics in development and environmental preservation are becoming available and are being tested.
