"The issue of enhancing competitive advantages at national and company level has gained considerably in importance due to the current financial and economic crisis. The environmental aspects of competitiveness have started to play an even more important role, despite the short-term negative consequences of the economic downturn and the arguments of some business leaders, politicians and researchers that environmentalism is too expensive. In contrast, the view of the author is that economic development and environmental improvements go hand-in-hand while, to maintain environmental competitiveness, as with economic competitiveness, standards and indicators must be continually improved. The article includes a brief look at what is being done to provide support to meet environmental targets in a selection of developed and developing countries, while the author concludes with a comment as to what might be done on this score in Russia to assist with structural change.. "

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