Press Releases

Can Asia’s Growth Be Environmentally Sustainable?

Photo: Elsa Ruiz James Fahn (left), Executive Director of Internews' Earth Journalism Network, speaks at a panel on Asia and the environment.

(June 11, 2007) James Fahn, Executive Director of Internews' Earth Journalism Network, spoke about Asia and environment, including climate change, at panel sponsored by the Asia Society and Internews on June 11.

"Environmentalism is actually good for business, wealth creation and
jobs" he stressed at the event, which was titled, "Can Asia's Growth be Environmentally Sustainable?" The panel discussion took place in New York at the Asia Society and Museum.

Orville Schell, Director, Berkeley’s Journalism School, and Director, Asia Society Center on US-China Relations, served as moderator. Other panelists included, Jon A. Anda, President of Environmental Markets Network, President of the Environmental Defense Fund and Trustee of the Asia Society; and Nigel Sizer, Vice President of Asia Pacific, Rare Conservation.

Asia is home to 60 percent of the world’s population, some of the world’s most biodiverse ecosystems and most of the world’s fastest growing economies. Asia is consuming ever greater quantities of resources, and emitting every larger amounts of pollutants. But the region is also host to growing environmental and civil society movements, and US-based organizations are providing help and working with local partners to protect tropical forests and coral reefs, working with local media to improve the quantity and quality of environmental coverage, and introducing efficient technologies to try and make development less harmful.