Book Description

The change from a rural to an industrial economy affects many countries. Rapid growth and development causes significant changes in environmental management for countries beginning to confront serious degradation problems. In the Pacific Rim, rich in environmental and human resources, widespread pollution problems affect water and air quality, contaminating groundwater and soils and dramatically increasing human exposure to hazardous waste. Critical resources - such as rainforests - disappear at an alarming rate. The book features in-depth reviews of the Pacific Rim's increasing environmental problems. It examines every major issue including hazardous waste, solid waste, water and wastewater, air pollution, biodiversity, industrial waste and much more. The final chapters outline education and information-sharing strategies designed to change environmental policy, putting the focus on slowing growth and working towards sustainable development. Integrated Environmental Management provides an information-packed review of the regions' environmental problems, concentrating on problem solving, sustainable development, and education. Anyone faced with environmental problems related to population growth and rapid industrialization will find this book particularly enlightening.