Can the environment wait : priorities for East Asia

摘要: This report answers the question, Does paying too much attention to environmental problems slow economic growth and industrialization? Although Asia/Pacific region may say yes experience of most industrial countries seems support this view, in fact 1) today's rich did address some associated with urbanization growth; 2) advances knowledge technology have made cost reducing pollution low or negligible; 3) costs damage health rise as invest more education skills workers. To continue current policies for next 25 years would leave many households without access clean water decent sanitation; worsen urban air quality; increase risks posed by heavy metals persistent organic chemicals rivers supplies. In immediate future main priority Southeast Asia is expand sanitation control motor vehicle pollution. China task phase out coal use (with exceptions) develop infrastructure supply alternative fuels. Medium term concerns include pretreating wastewater before discharging it into river basins; similarly treating sewage while charging discharge fees. Longer issues, such acid rain ground-level ozone, should be met incentives like encouraging low-sulfur coal.