Summary

Research Report: Examines the environmental implications of the Asian financial crisis in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

Description

This report examines the environmental implications of the Asian financial
crisis in Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam, paying
particular attention to the implications of these findings for Official
Development Assistance (ODA) donors. It covers the period from mid-1997 until
early 1999, concentrating on environmental changes related to forestry,
fisheries, mining, agriculture, water and air pollution, and conservation. It
examines the implications for natural resource management, large infrastructure
and development projects, corporate activities, state environment budgets and
services, and implementation.

General observations are that the crisis contributed to important shifts in
the underlying processes behind environmental change as well as the relative
environmental costs for different groups. Some areas and groups are
experiencing greater environmental hardships, while others are experiencing
fewer, at least in the immediate term. Urban and rural poor are
especially vulnerable and so far have absorbed a disproportionate amount of the
environmental costs of the crisis.

The conclusions, implications for aid projects, and recommendations to help
donors more effectively address environmental issues in the post-crisis period
are divided into necessarily broad categories: stability and cycles of decline;
industrial output and the environment; currency devaluations, commodity exports
and the environment; donor support for environmental projects; support for
monitoring, enforcement; market/community incentives; and further research.

Environment in times of crisis: Asia and donors after the 1997 financial crisis [PDF 889kb]

To view Portable Document Format (PDF) files you need a PDF
reader. PDF files can be viewed using a number of different software
products. Some free alternatives include:

NOTE: The Australian Government does not endorse or offer
warranties as to the suitability or safety of any of the above-listed products.
As with any software installation, care should always be taken to verify that
the software being installed is appropriate for your needs and malware-free.