Paying the Price for Rapid Economic Progress

Strong economic growth throughout Asia has put substantial pressure on the region’s resources and is straining the environment. Various forms of waste – solid waste, air pollutants and contaminated water – are generated with costs to human health and economic efficiency that threaten the prosperity of the region. Further development of carbon-based power generation capacity, such as coal and oil, needs to be evaluated to ensure that access to energy does not come at the price of steadily increasing greenhouse gases, contributing to global climate change. Improving resource efficiency is becoming increasingly important to achieving sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.

Asian Development Bank plans to expand support for clean energy, including energy efficiency improvements and the development of renewable energy supplies, by increasing the current US$1 billion annual target to US$2 billion per year by 2013.

EnviroAsia2011 brings together innovative equipment, technologies and services for managing waste, water and air pollution. The exhibition also features sustainable development opportunities and energy efficiency solutions.