Ground Breaking Report
Underlines Vital Role of Ecosystems and
Natural Resources in Supporting Livelihoods
and Reducing Poverty
Bangkok, 12 July 2007 - Rapid economic
growth of recent decades is expected to
continue in Greater Mekong countries, but
growth must be matched with efforts to reverse
negative impacts on environment if the region's
poor are to benefit, according to the Greater
Mekong Environmental Outlook 2007, released
today in Bangkok. The report is the first
collaborative assessment of the sub-region's
environment.
One of the fastest growing regions in the
world, economic growth has boosted incomes
and well being in many countries, particularly
Thailand, Viet Nam and Yunnan. However,
much of the growth has bypassed more than
70% of its rural population, many of whom
are directly dependent on natural resources
for livelihoods and incomes. Economic growth,
coupled with growing population pressures,
has also led to widespread pollution, land
degradation and depletion of natural resources,
the report said.
Unless addressed, these changes may cause
irreversible ecosystem damage with far-reaching
implications for economic activities that
depend on natural resources. They may also
increase the vulnerability of poor and rural
populations to health threats, natural disasters,
food insecurity and community fragmentation,
the report added.
"GMS countries have been fairly successful
in channelling growth to raise incomes and
improve livelihoods. However, people's well
being is intricately tied to ecosystems
and the goods and services they provide.
Any change in the quality and quantity of
natural resources will inevitably have serious
human impacts especially in the predominantly
agrarian populations and economies of the
GMS," said Surendra Shrestha, Regional
Director of the Regional Office for Asia
and the Pacific.
The five countries and two provinces of
the GMS ? Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand,
Vietnam, and Yunnan and Guangxi provinces
in southern China ? are now addressing some
of the root causes of environmental degradation
through initiatives such as the Asian Development
Bank's GMS Program. However, the GMS still
lacks a strong, credible body with the mandate
to develop and coordinate its response to
environmental challenges. Establishing such
a body is a key priority.
Land degradation, air and water pollution,
and biodiversity loss were cited as key
issues in the GMS. Land degradation, resulting
from forest loss followed by agriculture,
is a major problem across the GMS. "Forest
cover has declined in every country except
Viet Nam and Yunnan, both of which have
invested heavily in plantations. In 11000?2000
the annual rate of forest loss averaged
0.3 per cent for the GMS as a whole,"
the report stated.
While water shortage is not a problem,
rapid urbanization is putting pressure on
existing water and sanitation systems, causing
localized water shortages and pollution.
At the river basin level, the Chao Phraya
basin in Thailand is the only major catchment
facing severe water shortages.
Water quality is also a growing concern
with increasing pollution of surface and
ground water from domestic, industrial and
agricultural discharges. The Chao Phraya
basin has high levels of pollutants while
the Red River basin in Yunnan and Viet Nam
is becoming increasingly polluted.
"Future demand for fresh water, however,
will grow fastest in the residential and
industrial sectors. Inevitably, as the demand
from cities and industries grows, the water
available for agriculture will decline.
Effective management of the competition,
and likely conflict, between multiple water
uses and users is crucial," the report
said.
After land and water, air pollution is
a growing threat, whose associated treatment
and cleanup costs are a serious drain on
public finances. The World Bank estimated
the health costs of PM10 in six cities in
Thailand (including Bangkok) in 2000 to
be US$643.9 million. The health costs in
Bangkok alone were equivalent to 0.5 per
cent of GDP, with each resident paying an
average of US$46 every year.
In urban areas, rates of waste generation
are outstripping the capacity of local authorities
to collect, treat and dispose waste. In
Viet Nam, the national rate of waste collection
increased only slightly from 71 per cent
in 2000 to 74 per cent in 2003. In Hanoi
and Ho Chi Minh City, nearly one million
tonnes of solid waste are left uncollected
every year.
In addition, the GMS harbours globally
important and irreplaceable elements of
biodiversity. Six ecoregions within the
GMS are recognized areas of outstanding
diversity. All six ecoregions are threatened
by human activity, with uncontrolled logging
and wildlife hunting posing two of the greatest
threats. Serious threats are also posed
by hunting and wildlife trade, and by the
spread of some invasive species. The region
could lose more than half of its remaining
land and water habitats over the next century
if countries fail to take any action, according
to the report.
"The remaining challenge is to reverse
the trend of environmental degradation and
secure the ability of natural resources
to contribute to sustainable development.
Political will and strong partnerships both
within and between governments, businesses
and civil society is indispensable to meeting
this challenge," said Prof. Sanit Aksornkoae,
President of Thailand Environment Institute.
For more information, please contact: Ms.
Satwant Kaur, Regional Information Officer,
UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,
Tel: + (66 2) 2882127; Mobile: + (66 8)
9086000. E-mail: kaur@un.org
NOTES TO EDITORS:The Greater Mekong Environment
Outlook is a joint publication of UNEP and
TEI and provides an overview of environmental
trends over the past two decades. It assesses
the scope and effectiveness of national
and regional policy responses, and identifies
some of the main options for future action.
It is also the first collaborative assessment
of the sub-region's environment. The report
can be downloaded from www.roap.unep.org.
UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME (UNEP)
UNEP is the United Nations system's designated
entity for addressing environmental issues
at the global and regional level. Its mandate
is to coordinate the development of environmental
policy consensus by keeping the global environment
under review and bringing emerging issues
to the attention of governments and the
international community for action.
THAILAND ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE (TEI)
TEI is a not-for-profit, non-governmental
organization active in tackling environmental
problems and conserving natural resources
at grassroots, national, regional and international
levels. TEI works in partnership with multi-stakeholders
to make policy impacts as well as change
on the ground in several areas including
environmental governance, urbanization,
environmental education, eco-labeling, energy
conservation, climate change, clean technology,
forest conservation, cultural environment,
etc.
International Initiative Gets Underway
to Track Progress in Conserving Biodiversity
Jointly Issued by UNEP and the Global Environment
Facility
