Asia must be at the center of the global fight against climate change. It is the world’s most populous region, with high economic growth, a rising share of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the most vulnerability to climate risks. Its current resource- and emission-intensive growth pattern is not sustainable.

As an integral part of sustainable development, the impacts from climate change, including increasing water stress, more extreme weather events, the potential for high levels of migration and the disruption of international markets are critical challenges for all Asian countries.

It is an empirical fact that it is very difficult to balance economic growth, poverty reduction, and environment protection, particularly for developing and transitional economies.

Developing countries in Asia are struggling to cope with the negative impacts of concentrated industrial activities. Inspired by the theory of industrial ecology, eco-towns or eco-industrial parks are frequently promoted in many localities as a strategy for reducing the environmental burden of industry in a way that is consistent with economic development.