Asia sees environmental improvement

Asia sees environmental improvement

HONG KONG (AFP): The environment in Asia has improved significantly following the financial crisis, but longer term the turmoil could set back clean-up efforts, the World Bank said Tuesday.

Sharp declines in income and industrial output have reduced air and water pollution, while a collapse in world commodity prices has slowed the pace of logging, it said in a report.

The World Bank estimates there will be a 17 percent reduction in the emission of particulates by the year 2000 and a 20 percent reduction in lead particulates in the air.

Water pollution due to particulates will drop by 5.0 percent, while the demand for plywood in South Korea and Japan has dropped 30 percent, sharply reducing deforestation in Indonesia.

But the report warned longer term the crisis could set back efforts to improve Asia's environment as governments focus on restoring growth rather than developing environmental policies.

"Long term initiatives are stalled by a political reluctance to adjust fuel prices and insist on changes in behavior by vehicle operators, even though such changes could general significant fiscal savings in the medium to long term," it said.

The crisis will also delay investment in new plants and technology that use more environmentally friendly, it said.

Another possible scenario is that governments begin to fall back on natural resources to boost economic growth resulting in severe depletion of fish stocks and forests and mineral resources.

The bank warned the social consequences of ignoring environmental pollution will be high, adding Asian countries are well behind the achievements made 80 to 100 years ago by developed nations.

Many households will lack clean water and sanitation while urban air quality will deteriorate in smaller Chinese cities as well as the current pollution hot spots of Bangkok, Manila and Jakarta, it said.

The bank recommended a slow but steady implementation of policies to protect the environment.