MARCH 10, 2000 VOL. 26 NO. 9

Regional Ratings
How are countries performing on the environment front? Some snapshots across the region

Click the following to see how they rate:
China | Hong Kong | India | Indonesia | Japan | Malaysia | Philippines | Singapore | South Korea | Thailand

CHINA
Freshwater No wonder only half the population has access to clean water. All streams and lakes are contaminated to some degree, including serious pollution along the seven major watershed areas of the Huai, Hai, Liao, Songhua, Yangzi, Pearl and Yellow rivers. Many creeks fail to meet even the lowest standards for irrigation.

Biodiversity Rapid growth is putting increasing strain on China's 926 nature reserves. Despite new conservation projects, rising prosperity has literally whetted local appetites for wildlife, threatening dozens of species with extinction.

Land Use Since severe logging contributed to terrible floods two years ago, forest land is not allowed to be used for construction. Tough regulations are also imposed to protect arable land and ensure sustainable growth. Enforcing the rules, though, is another matter. Acid rain from smokestack industries and millions of coal-burning homes have damaged large tracts of farm land, turning them into virtual deserts.

Marine Life Serious pollution has led to many problems in coastal waters, including red tides. Declining catches rebounded slightly following a six-month ban on fishing last year.

Waste Disposal Nationwide, only 5% of household waste is treated, but cities such as Shanghai and Tianjin are increasing investment in sewage plants and refuse handling.

Industrial Effluents Many factories and township enterprises pump out raw effluent (only 17% is treated). Industry accounts for about 70% of organic water pollution.

Air Quality Urban air pollution is among the highest ever recorded, averaging 10 times World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Determined efforts to reduce coal-usage (local deposits contain high levels of sulfur as well as arsenic) have reduced sulfur dioxide emissions. Suspended particles, mainly from automobile exhaust, remain a major problem as the number of vehicles balloons. Still some buses are switching to cleaner fuels like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). In rural areas, indoor pollution from coal stoves kills more than 100,000 people each year.

ALSO IN ASIAWEEK Cover: Internet money goes shopping in Hong Kong and what PCCW-HKT means for old-economy firms in Asia • Players: The deal, the winners and the losers • Interview: Richard Li on bagging the region's biggest buy • SingTel: What now for Singapore Telecom? • Chart: Comparing PCCW and Cable & Wireless HKT • No. 1: The Lis are definitely Asia's top business family Editorial: Taiwan should respond to China's peace feeler - hidden in a war threat Editorial: India's RSS must curb its chauvinism Philippines: Amid terrorist attacks in Mindanao, President Joseph Estrada plays tough with MILF insurgents Brunei: The sultanate sues Prince Jefri Singapore: Behind Ong Teng Cheong's maverick presidency • Extended Interview: Ong does not regret riling his former colleagues Nepal: Why the Maoists are resurgent Green Stakes: Why Asia has to clean up - fast • Snapshots: Where countries stand on the environment • Eco-warriors: Fighting to save the planet • By Design: Ideas that can make a difference Exhibitions: The art world - a proxy cross-straits battlefield Newsmakers: India's pointman for defense Real Estate: Building up Indonesia's multimedia dreams MyWeb: As this Malaysian Internet company proves, a U.S. listing is not an automatic road to riches Investing: Don't use yesterday's rules to value tomorrow's hottest telecommunications companies Business Buzz: CLOB gets resolved Viewpoint: Political reform is inevitable in China

HONG KONG
Freshwater A ban on the release of untreated farm waste in 1994 has greatly decreased the pollution in waterways. But reckless industrialization in neighboring Guangdong province, which supplies most of Hong Kong's water, is causing concern about its continued safety.

Air Quality About 2,000 premature deaths each year are blamed on worsening air pollution. On the plus side, diesel taxis are being phased out in favor of vehicles running on LPG. Still, with 100 km of new roads planned and no formal body to tackle cross-border pollution, the outlook is hazy.

Marine Life Stressed fisheries are witnessing a dramatic recovery thanks to the expansion of marine parks which now cover 2% of local waters. More parks are planned, and some suggest that the value of fisheries will increase some 40% within a decade.

Waste Disposal Three strategic landfills that were supposed to last 30 years are now expected to be full in half that time. An energy-producing incinerator is planned but that will create new emission problems. And with 1.5 million tons of minimally screened sewage entering the harbor each day, swimming is unsafe at a number of beaches. The construction of a new pipe for pumping treated sewage into the sea is under review after years of costly leaks and accidents.

Energy Though Hong Kong generates 50% more electricity than it needs, further expansion is planned because of an ill-conceived government scheme that rewards suppliers for building more plants. Carbon dioxide emissions are expected to be 42% above 1990 levels by 2010, although the Kyoto Protocol calls for developed countries to reduce greenhouse gases by at least 5%.

Biodiversity For a place its size, the SAR has exceptionally diverse flora and fauna (more tree species than all of Western Europe, for instance). Its Mai Po Nature Reserve, an internationally recognized wetland, serves as resting grounds for migratory birds.

Industrial Effluents Nearly all of Hong Kong's industry has relocated across the border. Taking toxins to someone else's backyard is no solution, as pollutants from as far away as the Gobi Desert have been discovered in the SAR.

INDIA
Freshwater Most rivers - or what's left of them - are foul reservoirs of industrial effluents and sewage. Nearly 70% of major polluting industries lack adequate facilities for treating their discharges. At the same time, water demand remains huge, giving India the world's worst case of deficit due to overpumping.

Air Quality Levels of suspended particles in 10 of the largest cities are three to five times greater than WHO standards. In New Delhi, the world's fourth-most polluted city, vehicle emissions account for 64% of the filth.

Energy Firewood and dried cowdung (a valuable fertilizer that effectively goes up in smoke) continue to be the major fuel sources for most families. Even so, many of the government's reforestation efforts are exemplary.

Biodiversity Of all the animal species threatened globally, as many as 172 thrive in India, thanks to decades of conservation efforts by the government. Plant life, too, is fairly rich.

Marine Resources The seas off India's long coastline hold extensive coral reefs and are rich fishing grounds. To prevent land salination and other forms of degradation, a decade-old law prohibits commercial aquaculture up to 500 meters from the high-water line along the coast.

Waste Disposal Except for major metropolises, urban centers lack mechanical composting facilities for municipal garbage. Due to extensive recycling of paper and plastic, and the high water content of vegetable waste, incineration is not adopted. Municipal dumps, most of them uncovered and within city limits, are health hazards.

Industrial Effluents An area grossly ignored by the government. Eco-activists lobbying the courts aside, most people show little concern over industrial pollution.

Land Use Some two-thirds of India's ever-expanding population lives in villages suffering from shortages of firewood and grazing land. There are 129 million hectares of wasteland, much of which can be regenerated through time-tested soil replenishment techniques.

INDONESIA
Freshwater Metal processing continues to pollute water sources. Illegal mining in Bogor, for example, is blamed for high mercury levels in the Cisadane River, which feeds Jakarta. More than 40% of the water supply in urban areas is contaminated with fecal waste.

Biodiversity Indonesia's islands are home to so many species of flora and fauna, they are classed a "mega-diverse" habitat. But that's fast disappearing, because of illegal logging and burning by plantation companies. By 2010, for example, Kalimantan is expected to lose all its species-rich lowland forests.

Marine Resources Fishermen have bombed much of Indonesia's coral reefs out of existence. About 40% of reefs, breeding ground for much marine life, are said to be wrecked - irreparably. Overfishing has also drastically reduced hauls in recent years.

Waste Disposal Authorities control only six of the 450 landfills in Jakarta. The rest: open dumps. Rivers in the city are so clogged with trash, the risk of floods has risen considerably.

Air Quality Burning of garbage and motor vehicle exhaust make Jakarta a highly polluted capital. Many cities are little better.

Energy Though the government plans to meet energy needs primarily through coal, geothermal and hydroelectric power, nuclear energy is considered necessary to meet growing demand.

Industrial Effluents A constant problem since 60% of industries lack even basic treatment facilities.

ASIAWEEK'S ENVIRONMENT SPECIAL REPORT: Green Stakes: Why Asia has to clean up - fast • Snapshots: Where countries stand on the environment • Eco-warriors: Fighting to save the planet • By Design: Ideas that can make a difference

JAPAN
Freshwater An official environmental survey last year found the level of organic chemicals in rivers and lakes has worsened since the 1980s. Nearly two thirds of the 1,800 wells in Japan are contaminated with poisons such as arsenic.

Biodiversity The 2005 World Exposition will have to wait. Plans to build on the site at Aichi are being reivised since conservationists showed the development would destroy rare wildlife.

Waste Reduce, reduce, reduce. Existing landfill sites are expected to reach capacity in a mere 20 months. With land at a premium, Japan burns about 75% of its garbage. But that has created another health hazard with dioxin emissions. This month, the Diet will debate a law requiring manufacturers to make their products recyclable, establish waste-recycling systems and produce documentation that the material is disposed of properly.

Energy A string of mishaps, including the tragedy at Tokaimura, has made nuclear power increasingly unpalatable, although it accounts for 40% of current energy needs. To reduce reliance on traditional sources, the government is promoting the use of alternative energy. Solar and wind power producers are to receive subsidies under a new bill.

Land Use With 40% food self-sufficiency, Japan ranks the lowest among the developed countries. Over the past three decades of industrialization, Japan lost 20% of its arable land.

Marine Life Declining stocks are forcing Japan to cut back its fish catches by 2002. Plans are being drafted to compensate fishermen for loss of income.

Industrial Effluents With rising costs of disposal, police reported a nearly 11% increase in illegal dumping of industrial waste last year.

Air Quality Thanks to emissions regulations, the sulfur dioxide level has dropped considerably over the past four years. Nitrogen dioxide remains a problem with increasing automobile use.

MALAYSIA
Freshwater According to a 1998 official report, only 25% of river basins are clean. While Kuala Lumpur may be booming, its water supply is at risk. As in many parts of the country, rivers feeding the city are polluted by untreated sewage and silting from uncontrolled earthworks.

Biodiversity The government's Vision 2020 commits the country to maintaining 50% forest cover. Even so, pressure for land conversion threatens that goal. Nature lovers should brace for bad news. Fishery officials say the leatherback turtle will become extinct within a decade.

Land Use Organic farming remains limited, though Malaysia is exploring opportunities. Rapid agricultural development has been unkind to the land. Soil-erosion loss in the Cameron Highlands, in Pahang state, for example, has risen fourfold since 1993.

Marine Resources A patchy record. Some coastal waters are degraded by oil production and sewage discharges. Coral reefs, too, face stress from increasing tourism and destructive fishing techniques. A decline of near-shore fisheries is blamed on the loss of extensive mangrove stands.

Waste Sewage treatment does not yet cover the nation, so certain regions are still discharging untreated waste into the sea. Most municipal waste is buried, but the mountains of garbage generated are swiftly filling up existing sites.

Industrial Effluents Big business surprisingly complies very well with government requirements (some 86% of manufacturers pass the grade). It's the smaller enterprises serving the major companies that cause headaches, analysts say. But the big boys, trying to meet environmental standards of sophisticated markets, may soon be helping to kick the rogues into line .

Air Quality Save for the haze from forest fires, air quality is generally good. Worsening vehicle emission, though, is spurring calls to switch to cleaner fuels.

Technology A plus for the planet. Use of ozone-depleting substances like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) fell to 0.12 kilograms per capita in 1998 - less than half the amount a decade ago. Kuala Lumpur is committed to phasing out all such consumption in manufacturing by year's end.

PHILIPPINES
Freshwater Green group Lingkod Tao-Kalikasan estimates that 362 of the country's 419 rivers are polluted to "varying degrees." Mine-tailing has reportedly damaged 40,000 hectares of irrigable farmland.

Biodiversity Forest cover has shrunk to 5.5 million hectares, or 18.3% of total land area, and could drop as low as 7% by 2010, environment groups say. Unregulated logging, which continues to precipitate devastating flash-floods in Mindanao, has been labeled a "social sin" by the Catholic Church. On the upside, conservationists trying to save the endangered Philippine eagle have managed to breed the bird in captivity.

Marine Resources Destruction of mangroves has caused salt-water intrusion, wrecking prime rice lands. Commercial use of mangrove areas is now entirely banned.

Land Use Soil erosion badly affects 22 of the country's 77 provinces. As Congress procrastinates on a Land Use Law, some local governments are initiating their own programs.

Waste Disposal Of the 6,000 tons of garbage generated in Manila and its suburbs daily, two-thirds is collected by the government. The rest is on display in the streets and waterways. A ban on incineration puts even greater strain on overflowing dumps.

Air Quality Polluters must pay. The Clean Air Act will charge polluting industries and vehicles "regular emission fees," while giving tax breaks to plants that install anti-pollution devices.

Energy Over half the nation's electricity last year came from polluting coal and oil-fired plants. This grim scenario will only be reversed from 2002, when more natural gas is to be used.

Industrial Effluents Chemical discharges from industry account for around 30% of the pollution in Manila's waterways. A group of 51 companies, which banded to clean up the rivers, reportedly reduced pollution by about 17%.

SINGAPORE
Freshwater Land use control (no polluting industries in catchment areas), anti-pollution standards and other measures safeguard water resources.

Biodiversity While Singapore boasts a rich diversity of plants and animals, over 10 % of its mammal and bird species have disappeared. Still, 17 sites have been designated Nature Areas, with government commitments to reintroduce previously extinct species, including the Lesser Mouse Deer and the Short Clawed Otter.

Land Use With land at a premium, agriculture is limited to a few farms and agro-technology parks.

Marine Resources Restrictions on collecting coral aside, little legislation protects marine life. Aquaculture parks are promoted at sea.

Waste Disposal The authorities maintain that sewage discharge into the sea appears to be "fairly clean." Three incinerators (a fourth is on the way) burn off most of the garbage.

Industrial Effluents To cut down noxious smoke, officials require industries to design their plants or install pollution-control equipment to comply with discharge limits.

Air Quality Breathe easy. As of 1998, air pollutants were well within WHO standards. To target pollution sources, the government regularly revises emission standards.

Energy Natural gas, which accounts for about 20 % of power generation, is slowly making inroads. Expect its share to rise in coming years.

SOUTH KOREA
Freshwater Heavy rain in recent years has improved water quality, but only 5% of Seoul residents dare to drink from the tap. Environmentalists say major rivers such as the Naktong are poisoned by industrial effluents and household sewers.

Biodiversity A 1997 wetlands conservation act protects sensitive habitats from development. Still, approximately 300 plant and animal species disappear each year as a result of reckless industrialization.

Land Use Only 20% of Korea's otherwise mountainous terrain is cultivated, primarily by conventional methods. However, the government is promoting sustainable agriculture through financial incentives to farmers in protected areas.

Marine Life The government claims that water quality in some coastal areas has improved, thanks to tighter environmental controls. But effluents from China make the Yellow Sea one of the world's most polluted bodies of water.

Waste Disposal Recycling works. Following a 1995 awareness campaign to combat its huge garbage problem, Korea increased the amount of waste recycled by 74%. But two-thirds of garbage is still buried or incinerated.

Industrial Effluents It's nothing to brag about, but Korea is the world's 11th-largest producer of carbon dioxide. While the Crisis meant a dip in energy consumed by industry, this is expected to rebound with the ongoing recovery.

Air Quality Move over, Mexico City. Seoul's levels of sulfurous acid gas, nitrogen dioxide and dust particles are even higher than those found in the pollution capital of the world. Soaring car ownership has meant a doubling in the ozone density in four key cities since 1990.

THAILAND
Freshwater Destruction of catchment areas and poor management of supply has led to water shortages. Growing green consciousness, however, is prompting efforts to clean up rivers.

Biodiversity Some 300 animal species need help. The tiger, for example, is on the brink of extinction. Poaching is a serious problem, and there are few laws protecting indigenous mammals, including the national symbol, the elephant.

Land Use Despite a growing movement in support of sustainable agriculture and organic products in the country, the overuse of pesticides and herbicides still causes considerable environmental damage.

Marine Resources Forget the fuss over coastal destruction associated with filming The Beach. Marine pollution and over-fishing are much more serious problems.

Waste Disposal Admirable as city clean-up efforts are, a lack of regulations on handling industrial and municipal waste has resulted in serious contamination of rivers.

Industrial Effluents Controls and standards are blatantly ignored. The lack of proper waste-treatment centers has exacerbated problems caused by the dumping of toxic material.

Air Quality Dust and carbon monoxide pollution have become major problems in cities, with dust particle levels exceeding the recommended values in most urban areas.

Energy Thailand continues to import nearly half its energy, though power consumption per capita has more than doubled in the past decade. There are few attempts to utilize solar and wind energy.

With reports from correspondents