Sustainability Transitions In Developing Asia: Are Alternative Development Pathways Likely?

摘要

Conventional theories of economic development (cf. Rostow, Lewis, 'balanced growth' theories) argue that national economies move through stages involving a shift from agrarian to industrial production, a shift involving structural change in the economy, capability-accumulation and changes in markets and patterns of consumption. Typically development implies growing resource-intensity of economies early in the process of development, with major environmental impacts. Development in emerging Asian countries appears to be following this pattern and is thereby influencing the global demand for resources and generating major impacts on local, regional and global environments, including the global climate.