National economies have become much more closely linked as trade barriers come down and multinational companies expand their production worldwide. But what are the environmental implications of globalisation for newly industrialising economies (NIEs)? Research at the University of East Anglia focuses on pollution and its relation to industrial development in Mexico and Malaysia. Looking at the macro context as well as specific firms, the study concludes that it is not possible to make generalisations about the impact of globalisation on pollution in the South. Impacts are determined by local contexts, especially by the stringency of environmental regulation.