Balancing Trade Growth and Environmental Protection in ASEAN: Case studies from the Mekong subregion

The document examines the tension between rapid economic transition and environmental degradation in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It highlights how trade liberalization and infrastructure development, such as economic corridors and hydropower projects, have contributed to soil erosion and illegal wildlife and timber trade. While regional frameworks like the ASEAN Regional Action Plan on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora and the Singapore Declaration on Climate Change exist, the report argues they are often non-binding 'soft law' and lack enforcement capacity. It specifically notes that climate change is expected to increase basin-wide temperatures by 0.79C and flooding by 2030. The author recommends that GMS countries coordinate conservation laws, establish a unified greenhouse gas inventory system, and subject trading mechanisms to formal climate risk assessments to move beyond 'token commitments'.

• The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) is transitioning from agricultural to industrial economies, with intra-GMS exports growing by an average of 19 percent between 1994 and 2006, though intraregional trade only accounts for 24 percent of total trade.
• Biodiversity in the GMS is severely threatened by illegal timber and wildlife trade, driven by increasing affluence in China, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as demand from Japan, the United States, and Europe.
• Infrastructure development, including nine GMS economic corridors and hydropower projects like Nam Theun 2, has led to environmental impacts such as soil erosion and increased pressure from illegal trade and unsustainable logging.
• Environmental governance in the GMS is hampered by the fact that environmental ministries are often powerless, low in the government hierarchy, and ill-equipped to enforce regulations.
• Regional cooperation is limited by the 'ASEAN Way' of non-binding, consensus-based decision making, meaning most agreements are 'soft law' and lack sanctions mechanisms for enforcement.
• Despite the Singapore Declaration on Climate Change and the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community 20092015, environmental commitments remain largely tokenistic and are not embodied in formal, binding free trade agreements.

APA

Dosch, J. (2010). Balancing Trade Growth and Environmental Protection in ASEAN: Case studies from the Mekong subregion. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/balancing_trade_growth_mekong_synthesis.pdf

Chicago

Dosch, Jörn. Balancing Trade Growth and Environmental Protection in ASEAN: Case studies from the Mekong subregion. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/balancing_trade_growth_mekong_synthesis.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Dosch |first1=Jörn |title=Balancing Trade Growth and Environmental Protection in ASEAN: Case studies from the Mekong subregion |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=June 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/balancing_trade_growth_mekong_synthesis.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dosch2010balancing, author = {Dosch, Jörn}, title = {{Balancing Trade Growth and Environmental Protection in ASEAN: Case studies from the Mekong subregion}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = jun, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/balancing_trade_growth_mekong_synthesis.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }