Regional cooperation for control of transboundary air pollution in East Asia

Abstract

This paper assesses policy options available for environmental cooperation to abate acid rain pollutants in East Asia. We argue that the multilateral approach, rather than the bilateral one, should be employed as a 'control policy'. As for 'control strategies', effective incentive-based environmental policies including a charge system in conjunction with the promoting of cooperation for a regional environmental protocol/treaty are required in order to make up for the lack of contractual enforcement available to participants. As well, joint scientific/economic research is crucial to prevent a free rider problem and to convince regulators that benefits exist from multilateral cooperation.