Protection of the Environment in Transitional strongEconomiesstrong.pdfVIP

Protection of the Environment in Transitional Economies: Strategies and Practices Clem Tisdell ABSTRACT Attention is brought to the high pollution intensities of Centrally Planned Economies in comparison to market economies. This is explained by the use of Kuznets-type environmental development curves. These curves for CPEs tend to be higher than for market economies, and in Europe per capita incomes in market economies are mostly higher than for European CPEs and this is an additional factor. It is argued that it may take some time for former CPEs to attain the Kuznets curve for market economies once they begin transition. Transitional difficulties include possibly an inadequate appreciation of market failures, fuzzy property rights, reduced central control over local governments, in some cases breakdowns of law and order and capital stock and infrastructure which can only be substantially modified in the long run so as to improve pollution intensities and natural resource-use. In the longer term, the market system will provide incentives that at least indirectly improve pollution intensities and natural resource intensities. Nevertheless, of the system stimulate economic growth pollution intensities can rise initially. Environmental problems and transitionary processes for former European Centrally Planned resources are discussed, as are Chinas environmental problems, Chinas Agenda 21 as a long- term strategy for sustainable development, and its environmental policies in practice. In conclusion, Chinas approach to its environment in its transition is contrasted to that of the former European Centrally Planned economies. 1. INTRODUCTION Transition from planned to market-based economies has now been in process in former Soviet- style economies for several years, and in some cases for a