Chapter 9: Environmental Issue in International Relations in Southeast Asia §

(F) Day of the week: Wednesday Class: IS210 Created Time: May 20, 2020 2:17 PM Database: Class Notes Database Date: May 20, 2020 2:17 PM Days Till Date: Passed Last Edited Time: June 9, 2021 10:39 AM Type: Lecture

ASEAN’s pursuit of development payed little attention to environment degradation.

• Environmental concerns is new coming from the West
• Focus on Import-Led Industrialization
• Sees Environment concerns from the West as a economic jeopardize maneuver

I. The Environmental Policy Setting §

|1992: UN Conference to set universal framework for environmental issues in IR.

|1992: Rio Declaration §

Principles:

• Not impeding sovereignty
• States are responsible for their sustainable environment of their territory
• Prevent degradation of other states’ environment

Criticism: from ASEAN and Asian states to compensate costs of stopping the use of natural resources.

ASEAN lied about complying with Rio Declaration

II. The ASEAN Framework §

|1977: ASEAN Expert Group of Environment, assisted by UNEP to look into environmental issues

• To this day, environmental issues still aren’t taken that seriously

|1981: 1st AMM ⇒ Cebu Resolution on Sustainable Development to be enforced in 2006

• States along with nation development also need to take care of environment while doing so

💡 All ASEAN’s declarations, resolutions, statements are in favor of Environmental Agenda.

Problem of Enforcement §

ASEAN does not have the capability or authority to demand it’s members to implement environmental agendas.

• Actions comes from national interests and lack of political will of member states

III. Deforestation §

🌲 Deforestation cause 20% of greenhouse gas emission

ASEAN has 5% of global forrests

|But account for 25% of deforestation

1. The International Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) §

as a legal framework for consultation and trade of forests

|Created: 1983

|Into Force: 1997

Failed to Implement

ASEAN states don’t have laws in place to ban wood trading ⇒ voluntary enforcement

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China imports 50% the world’s timber

2. ASEAN States’ Deforestation §

States have lost their forests and turns to exploit neighbor’s forests

• Philippines: 80% lost
• Vietnam: 51% lost
• Thailand

Indonesia: lost 72%, contribute to environment consequences

⛔ ASEAN States declared against illegal logging but deforestation continue due to corruption

IV. Haze §

Smoke pollution caused by nature or man made

|1995: Adopted the Cooperation Plan on Transboundary Pollution

Goal: action program to prevent, monitor and mitigate haze

Problem: no enforcement measures

|1997: Most serious haze case

Severity: 226 ppm (Air Pollution Index)

• Lasted 7 months
• Costed $9 Billion
  • Cost of compensation for impacted victims
  • Closing of society and economy

|2002: ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution

• Indonesia rejected to ratify until 2014

  Demanded it must

  • to include other problems
    • Illegal Fishing
    • Loggin
    • Toxic Waste Dumping
    • Sand Mining
  • Respect state sovereignty and no compensation for environmental damages

V. The Maritime Zone §

South China Sea’s 2,500 water species depleted by over fishing.

• Disputed territory ⇒ Waste dumping

ASEAN-China gas and oil pipeline development without care of environment (trees)

1. Rivers, Dams, Ecosystems §

Dams impacts:

• Change flood cycle
• Forests turn to reservoirs
• Village are displaced and fisheries disrupted ⇒ Human rights violation
• Natural processes of land, farm, fish, soil are changed

|1996: World Bank’s World Commission on Dams

Showed negative impacts of dam building

States pursuing rapid economic growth ignored the report

Damming the Mekong River §

Past 6 countries

4800 km long

100+ dams build in Mekong River

• China plans to build more dams
• Cambodia, invested by Chinese, planned 14, and constructing 6

Dam Collapse in Laos caused suffering

IV. Conclusion §

|1997: ASEAN set for clear and green Southeast Asia by 2020

Goal: to implement mechanisms to protect environment

Challenges: didn’t fulfil the vision

• Degradation of land
• Maritime environment
• Aggressive dams building
• Constrained by ASEAN Way
  • No enforcement measures
  • No regional cooperation or interest, only self-interest