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Regional Environmental Hub for Southeast Asia and Oceania
Bangkok, Thailand

Southeast Asia and Oceania
Area Map

Introduction
 The physically diverse and fragmented topography of Southeast Asia and Oceania -- from continental Burma, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia, to the island states of the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea, and the South Pacific island nations of Australia & New Zealand -- coupled with high population and rapidly growing economies have created formidable environmental challenges.

Environmental degradation is a real factor in the political, social and economic stability of the region. The United States has identified issues and opportunities to promote intergovernmental cooperation on transboundary environmental issues. The establishment of the Southeast Asia and Oceania Regional Environmental Hub at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, will advance this objective.

The Hub will work with national governments, public sector agencies, regional international organizations, businesses, NGOs, and others. It will initially focus on:

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Key Terms
     Land-based sources of marine pollution
Coastal regions of the world -- where people and marine resources are concentrated -- are particularly at risk from pollution from land sources: sewage, persistent organic pollutants, radioactive substances, heavy metals, oil, and litter.
     Sustainable Forestry
economic growth or activity with no net degradation to the forest environment
     riparian states
countries along the course of a river
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Regional Environmental Issues
At first glance, Southeast Asia and Oceania may seem to have more differences than similarities. A closer look at the region reveals dynamic and growing economies and populations that face serious environmental problems as a result of this growth. Vital rain forests, critical rivers, and unique marine ecosystems are in many places threatened or imperiled. The abilities of national governments to implement sustainable development policies and programs could be greatly enhanced if shared, common problems are addressed on a regional basis.

Freshwater: Water use in the region is dominated by agriculture, primarily for irrigation. However, rapid economic expansion in many southeast Asian countries has put growing pressure on water resources. Given large population group shifts from rural to urban areas, improving water supply -- for urban residents, industry, and municipal uses -- and sanitation has become a high priority. Unfortunately, management and protection of water resources has lagged far behind the pace of population growth and development, and the demand for water has surpassed many rates of replenishment.

Of particular concern is the Mekong River which flows from the Tibetan Himalayas southward through China, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam to the South China Sea. The annual flooding of the Mekong supports one of the most biologically diverse river systems in the world, habitat for over 1,000 species of fish. As the primary economic base for millions of people, plans to build cascades of dams on the Mekong for hydropower could have profound social and economic effects in the riparian states.

Sustainable Forestry: Southeast Asia and Oceania are home to nearly one-fourth of the world's tropical forests and a significant percentage of the world's biological species. However, growing economic and population pressures have resulted in widespread destruction of forest resources. Many inhabitants of the region directly depend on forests and the vast array of plants and animals housed in them for their livelihood and survival. The consequences of some subsistence farming practices, uncontrolled logging, and unsustainable forest management have impacted and will continue to affect the overall economies of several nations in the region.

Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution: Given high rates of regional economic growth and increased trade both within and outside of the region, experts fear environmental degradation from land-based sources of marine pollution will grow exponentially. The seas of southeast Asia are the habitat for over 2,500 species of fish and invertebrates, and provide over 11 percent of the world's total marine catch. Overfishing and management of highly migratory fish stocks such as tuna are complex issues in the region, which are aggravated by destructive practices such as the use of cyanide and dynamite to capture coral reef fishes.

Environmental issues in Southeast Asia and Oceania are not just technical, they are political as well. The governments of the region must be engaged at the diplomatic level to gain their commitment to address transboundary environmental problems in the context of their overall sustainable development plans. The Hub, in cooperation with U.S. Embassies in Southeast Asia and Oceania, will continue U.S. efforts to advocate the importance of sound environmental policies for continued sustainable development in the region.

State Department Regional Environmental Contact Officer:
 Bangkok, Thailand
James C. (Jim) Martin
120 Wireless Road
APO AP 96546
Phone: 66-2-205-4995
Fax: 254-2839
james.c.martin@ammanwpoa.us-state.gov

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