BOOK INTRODUCTION

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For concerned citizens in the West, the fact that the urge towards environmentalism is found in all societies, although it may take different forms, should be of great comfort. It also suggests ways in which the North, which has been quicker to pass on its destructive technologies than the laws and customs needed to constrain them, can help the South develop more sustainably. Asia’s rapid growth is occurring during a period of equally rapid globalization: there is now a great deal of scrutiny from abroad, and more opportunity to learn from other countries’ experiences. On a practical level, this means the technology to make development cleaner already exists; the problem lies in determining how to pay for its installment. More fundamentally, it’s now possible to establish all kinds of linkages–public and private, official and informal–to help societies in the South find a suitable path toward sustainable development.

Such collaboration is crucial because yet another difference between North and South is the huge difference in time scales of development. What Europe and America took many generations to achieve, Thailand and its neighbors are trying to do in a single generation. So not only are the effects of industrialization more concentrated, but much of the populace grew up in a very different world from today. And while it may be possible to “leapfrog” technologically, it is far more difficult to accelerate changes in the way people think. Most leaders currently in power are ill-equipped to handle some modern problems, and the development of a civil society to push those leaders toward greener policies has not kept pace with economic development.

Finally, it is my hope that this book will refute one of the most common misconceptions about protecting the environment in developing countries: that it is a luxury for the benefit of the wealthy, whether at home or abroad. Almost inevitably the people who suffer the most from environmental disasters–whether it’s a landslide caused by denuded hillsides, illness caused by exposure to toxic waste, or dislocation to make way for a dam reservoir–are the poor. Developing countries need to address their environmental problems not because the rich world tells them to, but for the benefit of their own people.

By mixing in some thoughtful analysis of Southeast Asia’s environmental situation with stories of the characters I’ve met and the adventures I’ve had as an investigative journalist, I’ve tried to make A Land On Fire appealing to both the serious and casual reader. I generally present the facts as they occurred, while adding a few insights and a good deal of synthesis. I prefer to let others provide commentary, and have made a conscious effort to convey Asian views regarding the environment–even if I privately disagree with them–since they aren’t often heard in the West. But as an editorial writer for The Nation, and as a human being, I felt a responsibility at times to go beyond reporting and suggest viable alternatives to current policies and practices that seemed damaging. So I have done that here, too, when appropriate.

The most difficult thing in writing this book was deciding what to leave out. Some environmental issues stem from too little development, but for the most part I focus on those resulting from too much (or unplanned) development. I avoided some issues that justifiably receive a great deal of attention in Southeast Asia–such as the spread of HIV/Aids, the sex industry, and drugs–because they are simply off-topic. But there are also some critical environmental issues that did not make the final cut even though we covered them at The Nation. We wrote extensively about wildlife conservation and the wildlife trade, currently thriving in Burma and Indochina, forest fires, and workers’ health and safety, particularly in regards to the many industrial disasters the region has faced, but they receive scarce mention in this book. Other important issues–such as agriculture, (non-toxic) industrial pollution, population growth and the spread of genetically modified organisms--are discussed only briefly or tangentially because I simply ran out of space.

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