Development and the environment in Asia

This paper examines the complex, non-linear relationships between economic growth and environmental degradation that are apparent in the variety of experiences in the recent history of many tropical Asian economies. Numerous factors influence the growth-environment interactions, including the production composition, new techniques and environmental policies, security of natural resource property rights, and pollution regulation and liability. Furthermore, environmental and economic policies are not distinct; any environmental policy also has economic impacts, making it an economic policy by default. Likewise, economic policies must also be assessed as environmental policies; the influence of globalization on Asian economies has had significant environmental impacts. There is growing consensus in economic analyses that environmental degradation harms regional economies. The available literature identifies some of the numerous links between economics and environmental resources.