Pursuing Green Growth in Asia and the Pacific

The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing the fastest economic growth among the regions of the world. Yet, economic growth in its current form is placing enormous pressure on the environmental carrying capacity of the region. Unless this is properly checked, the environmental carrying capacity for future generations will be seriously compromised. Despite the increasing environmental pressure arising from economic growth, it is only through economic growth that the nations of the region can reduce poverty and improve environmental management. Therefore, the challenge is not to limit economic growth but to convert it into an environmentally sustainable form. In other words, the region has to turn away from the conventional Grow First, Clean Up Later paradigm and move towards the green growth paradigm which harmonises economic growth with environmental sustainability. The book aims to develop the new paradigm for environmentally sustainable economic growth or green growth in Asia and the Pacific. Firstly, it discusses the present status of environmental sustainability, especially the issue of eco-efficiency of consumption and production patterns. Secondly, it looks at the challenging issues of environmental sustainability including the problem of sustainable resource-based development, the controversial relationship between economic growth and environmental sustainability and the relationship between environmental regulation and competitiveness. Finally, it looks at how to make markets work for green growth, utilising public policy to stimulate eco-efficiency, the role of economics and regional cooperation to achieve green growth. KEY FEATURES - Discussion and illustration of key green growth concepts such as sustainable development, ecological efficiency and resource productivity. - Inclusion of more than 150 figures and sets of numerical data to complement analysis of conceptual and technical issues. - Comparative discussion of Asian-Pacific countries with European ones where appropriate. - Global perspectives from academics, environmental economists and researchers based in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Korea, Japan, Singapore and New Zealand.