East Asian Experience in Environmental Governance: Response in a Rapidly Developing Region

East Asia has emerged as a dynamic and rapidly evolving region during the past three decades, like a phoenix rising from the ashes of colonialism. The East Asian “experience” has elicited a great deal of interest from observers and scholars. This experience ostensibly pertains to the economic and industrial growth that has brought countries in the region to the doorstep of the first world. The World Bank, for example, indicates that most of the so-called miracle economies are concentrated in this region. These economies went through a major crisis starting in late 1997, the lingering effects of which lasted through the year 2000. Nevertheless, because there are already signs of a strong economic recovery and the environmental governance regime is marginally affected, it is worthwhile to understand the underpinnings of this economic miracle and what role it has played in the development of the environmental governance regime.

Since the 1970s the industrial growth in this region has raised justifiable concerns among environmentalists as to its adverse impacts on the bountiful natural resources and diverse ecosystems. Considerable environmental degradation is apparent on a regionwide basis, ranging from deforestation and loss of biodiversity to pollution of waterways and fresh water resources. Environmentalists, with the help of activist groups and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), have played a key role in

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