Rapid economic growth in Taiwan has led to environmental degradation. Taiwan’s success is partly due to its lack of pollution restrictions compared to its trading partners. Major urban pollution sources include cars, motorcycles, and industrial emissions. Water pollution is caused by domestic sewage (25%), industrial waste water (54%), and domestic animal waste (21%). Untreated sewage in the water has also led to a high rate of hepatitis. The soil has been contaminated due to industrial development and agricultural intensification. Hazardous waste dumped in the countryside contributed to 3000 people being poisoned by PCB contaminated waste. Noise pollution is also too high in residential areas and is affecting the livelihoods of the population. Industrial toxic waste amounted to 57,499 tons per day in 1988 this being 50% of Japan’s volume. Waste is freely dumped into the air, water and land. As a result, the food chain has been affected; and occupational diseases and cancer have doubled in the last 30 years. Deforestation on steep slopes contributes to serious soil erosion and fresh water resources problems. This has also led to serious natural disasters such as mudslides in the region. Efforts to combat the problem have been ineffective for example the Environmental Protection Agency have not been able to help the situation. The government and the business owners have a lack of interest in halting the pollution and degradation as they want to maintain the economic growth already experienced. A slow growth policy, a stop to high pollution industries, and environmental control and clean up has been recommended as a solution to the problems. This will hopefully help Taiwan to grow sustainably but still maintain economic growth.
The United Nations has warned the booming economic growth in Asia and the Pacific is placing unsustainable pressure on their environments and new approaches beyond pollution control are needed. Chung states the current rapid growth in the region is not sustainable. A policy of ‘grow first, clean up later’ has been adopted in these countries which are leading to unsustainable growth. Despite Asia’s rates of industrial production exceeding global averages over the past decade, the region’s rates of population growth, poverty, urbanization, and use of land and water resources have also been higher. As a result they are living beyond their environmental needs. The growth of an urban middle class in the region has led to a rise in consumerism which is depleting energy and natural resources while producing more waste. Also, rising demand for energy, raw materials and water is causing economic, social and environmental conflict. The UN report suggests Asian countries can improve their efficiency through infrastructure and transportation for example building railways instead of motorways as they are more energy efficient. The region should also make greater investment in environmental technologies such as solar and wind power and renewable natural resources. Countries such as China have set ambitious goals in their development plans and have ignored the environmental impacts. Although, sustainable growth is likely to be achieved in the region as a green approach has been approved by the environment ministers of all 54 members of the UN Asia and Pacific Commission.
Sustained economic growth in developing countries is needed to reduce poverty and improve people’s standard of living. In some countries that have experienced rapid economic growth the poverty has worsened. Economic growth is socially unsustainable leading to social stress and conflict which therefore, can affect the future growth of the country.
However, not all countries experiencing rapid economic growth have been unsustainable. The Philippines experienced worsening environmental conditions in 1993. The consumption of natural resources was taking place at a faster rate than the rest of the world. The ecosystem of the country was being pushed to the limit. Forest cover in 1993 had declined by nearly half compared to forest cover in 1985. In 1991, forest cover was down to 17%, far below the 60 % needed for the country to maintain a stable ecosystem. The Philippine government have since made and passed laws and regulations that challenge the environmental problems as well as keeping the ‘goals’ of sustainable development. After the Earth summit in Rio de Janeiro the Philippines created the Philippine Commission on Sustainable Development (PCSD), the first national council for sustainable development in Asia. The Medium Term Philippine Development plan or Philippines 2000 was a strategy plan to reduce poverty and attain economic growth by opening up the country to foreign investment and removing regulations on businesses.
In conclusion, rapid economic growth is often unsustainable and it is only lately that governments have realised the importance of sustainable development and have introduced development regulations and laws to commit to sustainable growth. However, as the Philippines show this is possible without disruption to the economic growth. If the global economy continues to grow by 3 % a year for the next 50 years, the total global GDP will more than quadruple. Whether such a drastic increase in economic activity will be compatible with the requirements of environmental and social sustainability will depend on the “quality of growth,” and the balancing with social and environmental factors.
