Looking South

摘要

As the American economy con-tinues to lag, more and more socially and environmentally responsible investors are looking south to find promising venture capital opportunities. While much of the rest of the world is bogged down in recession and cowed by the specter of terrorism, Latin American businesses are operating in a relatively safe and fast-growing economic climate friendly to sustainable development and still rich in virgin natural resources. A small cadre of environmentally conscious venture funds―most of which feature a nonprofit component―have already invested almost $2 billion in sustainable forestry, organic agriculture, re- newable energy and other green businesses in the region, and are poised to make significant returns over the coming decades. Individ-ual investors are still welcome to invest in many of these funds.