Abstract and Contents
David A. Sonnenfeld and Arthur P. J. Mol, eds.
Vol. 15, No. 2, June 2006, Sage Publications
To date, most studies of environmental reform have focused on the experiences of advanced, industrialized societies in Europe and the Americas. Discussions of and theories on multi-level and multi-actor (environmental) governance, shifts in governance styles, ecological modernization, and the changing roles of the nation-state, have been supported empirically by case-studies and quantitative statistical analyses from these regions. Such studies may have limited applicability to conditions and processes of environmental governance and practice in Asia, a continent of critical importance for the global environment in the twenty-first century. As state-society relations in Asia have distinct qualities, characteristics, and dynamics, the successes and challenges of environmental reform there differ as well. Few systematic, comparative studies of environmental reform in Asia have been carried out. More common are local or country case studies stressing continuing environmental deteriorations. Analysis of reform efforts in Asia is complicated further by limited availability of reliable sources and data on environmental qualities, pollution patterns and resource extractions in the region. New research strategies, methods, and efforts are badly needed. Combining and assessing quantitative and qualitative approaches, this symposium sets a new agenda for research on environmental reform in Asia, examining experiences and designing methodologies on various key sectors, including urban environmental services, energy, water, air quality, and mining.
Keywords: environmental reform, environmental governance, environmental policy, multilateral environmental agreements, urban environmental issues, energy policy, water policy, transboundary environmental problems, air pollution, haze, water pollution, solid waste, mining, ISO 14001, quantitative and qualitative comparisons, research methodology, Asia, China, India, Mekong River basin, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines
Guest Editors' Note [full text]
David A. Sonnenfeld, Washington State University, USA; & Arthur P. J. Mol, Wageningen University, the Netherlands
Environmental Reform in Asia: Comparisons, Challenges, Next Steps [figures] [links]
David A. Sonnenfeld & Arthur P. J. Mol
Reforms for Managing Urban Environmental Infrastructure and Services in Asia
Mushtaq A. Memon, Hidefumi Imura, & Hiroaki Shirakawa, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan
Environmental Reform in the Electricity Sector: China and India
Antonette D'Sa & K. V. Narasimha Murthy, Asian Regional Energy Initiative/ International Energy Initiative (IEI), India
Water Governance Reform and Catchment Management in the Mekong Region
Philip Hirsch, Australian Mekong Research Center, The University of Sydney, Australia
Transboundary Perspectives on Managing Indonesia's Fires
Judith Mayer, Arcata, California, USA
Opportunities for Environmental Management in the Mining Sector in Asia
Gill Burke, Raw Materials Group, Sweden
Figures (PowerPoint)
Ordering Information (pdf)