Greening East Asia: The Rise of the Eco-Developmental State

"East Asia has a fifth of the world's population and consumes over half of the world's coal, a quarter of its petroleum products, and 10 percent of its natural gas.

It produces a third of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, making it a major contributor to climate change.

Following World War II, emphasis on economic development led first Japan, then Taiwan and the Republic of Korea, and now the People's Republic of China to experience rapid economic growth.

This process has brought environmental challenges, evoking governmental concern and environmental movements.

The region is an excellent arena in which to study the complex dynamics of environmental politics, as its four countries share ecological, social, cultural, and political characteristics, but they vary in size, resource wealth, history, and political systems.

This enables analysis of how these factors can influence environmental politics and how national policy can bec