The environmental concern has been historicaly and implicitely present in most experiences of development planning, since transformations that occur in the natural environment (such as irrigation works, servage systems, drainage investments etc.) constitute a positive intervention, an indirect approach towards environmental management. The issue of a more explicit and effective consideration of the environmental dimension in development planning has its origins in the negative effects of economic growth in the environment and also in the need to evaluate the environmental cost of development strategies. The roots of this issue should be searched on the restriction of the bio-physic environment that supports human life, ando also on values, priorities and the concrete ways in which societies organize to use the environment. The incorporation of environmental variables in development planning is not only related with environmental concern per-se, but basically with the analysis of the viability of development strategies. The article reviews, in broad terms, the efficiency of incorporating the environmental consideration in different expressions of planning (regional, sectorial, urban and projects). The author finally presents a brief section devoted to the general ways through which the environmental dimension could be incorporated to specific development strategies and policies.