Leapfrogging Development in Emerging Asia

Book excerpt: This book examines the opportunities and constraints of environmental leapfrogging in Asia by zooming in on several country cases: China, Vietnam, Singapore and Taiwan. The world has witnessed the profound transformation of China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Singapore from impoverished developing regions into strong and internationally competitive economies. However, it has become obvious that their rapid development has come at a price. Contrary to their economic successes, these Asian economies have been much less successful in terms of ecological sustainability and environmental protection. Mega-cities, such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Ho Chi Minh City suffer from increased air pollution, traffic congestion and a boom in the generation of solid waste. The rapid industrialisation poses a dual challenge to the state. "Doing it right the first time" -- by installing clean technologies, developing the institutional capacity and the appropriate governance style to enforce environmental regulations- could lead to "leapfrogging", the development process and building industrial economies that are both competitive and more sustainable than economies with an older industrial base.