East Asia and the Pacific

The East Asia and the Pacific is growing faster than any other region. While rapid economic growth has contributed to significant improvements in human welfare, it has also led to profound socio-economic changes, and serious environmental implications such as air and water pollution, rapid depletion and degradation of natural resources, and the rapid loss of the region’s rich biodiversity endowment. These, in turn, effect people’s health, livelihood, and security, and compromise the potential of sustained growth and its benefits for future generations. Recent trends such as increasing regional integration and globalization have introduced new challenges with wide ranging implications – not least for the environment.

 

World Bank environment oriented activities in the EAP region aim to help client countries meet their current environmental challenges and to build a framework for an environmentally sustainable future. New and emerging challenges are putting many important habitats and environmental services in danger. In response, governments in the region are working with the Bank and increasing their support for environmental improvements, resulting in many examples of successful and innovative work.

 

Our work focuses on four key environment challenges faced by our clients:

1.        Pollution, particularly poor air quality and low access to clean water, sanitation and solid waste collection/disposal.

2.        Natural resource degradation, including deforestation, land degradation, loss of biodiversity and increasing water scarcity.

3.        Regional and global environment challenges, including chemical pollution and climate change.

4.        Environmental management capacity and environmental information.