The Greening of Asia: The Business Case for Solving Asia's Environmental Emergency

Mark L. Clifford

Columbia University Press ,  April 2015

One of Asia's best-respected writers on business and economy, Hong Kong-based author Mark L. Clifford provides a behind-the-scenes look at what companies in China, India, Japan, Korea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, and Thailand are doing to build businesses that will lessen the environmental impact of Asia's extraordinary economic growth. Dirty air, foul water, and hellishly overcrowded cities are threatening to choke the region's impressive prosperity. Recognizing a business opportunity in solving social problems, Asian businesses have developed innovative responses to the region's environmental crises.

From solar and wind power technologies to green buildings, electric cars, water services, and sustainable tropical forestry, Asian corporations are upending old business models in their home countries and throughout the world. Companies have the money, the technology, and the people to act -- yet, as Clifford emphasizes, support from the government (in the form of more effective, market-friendly policies) and the engagement of civil society are crucial for a region-wide shift to greener business practices. Clifford paints detailed profiles of what some of these companies are doing and includes a unique appendix that encapsulates the environmental business practices of more than fifty companies mentioned in the book.

Hardcover | ISBN: 9780231166089 | Publication Date: April 2015

Reviews:
"Clifford offers both a definitive accounting of Asia's climate challenge and an inspiring tour of innovative business actions to address the challenge across industries and countries -- from Japan to Indonesia, India to China. "The Greening of Asia" is a call to action: for citizens to press their governments; for politicians to set market-reinforcing policies; and most of all, for Asian corporations to recognise their responsibility to be in the vanguard of change."
-- Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Co

"In this well-researched and ultimately optimistic account, Clifford makes the case that environmental policies 'can and must be fixed' and gives us examples of companies that have worked to find private-sector solutions. In doing so, Clifford sheds much-needed light on the workings and future of the region's efforts on the environment, and on the need for governments to set clear rules so that business can do its part to solve the region's environmental crisis."
-- Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics

"The Greening of Asia" tells an exciting and important story: how the region's entrepreneurs, businesses, governments, and civil society are transforming old energy, water, and land-use practices to turn congestion, illness, and urban dysfunction into the foundations of durable development. Mark Clifford's keen journalistic skills illuminate the achievements and challenges of many key examples. I recommend this book to anyone seeking to understand how Asia is inventing and speeding a better world for all."
-- Amory B. Lovins, Cofounder and Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute

"The Asian region has astounded the world with its economic development. Now it is challenged to astound the world with its ability to remedy the massive environmental degradation which has resulted from its economic success. With "The Greening of Asia," Mark Clifford gives us a lucidly written and information-rich look into both the bowels of this daunting challenge and prospects for successfully confronting it through public private partnerships where corporations play as big a role as governments."
-- Orville Schell, Arthur Ross Director, Center on US-China Relations, Asia Society

"In "The Greening of Asia" Mark Clifford lays out in clear and compelling terms the profound environmental challenges confronting Asians in the twenty-first century and provides numerous encouraging examples of how Asian governments, businesses, and civil society organizations are each playing their essential roles in pioneering a new growth paradigm of low-carbon prosperity. Clifford is clear-eyed in his analysis and highly practical in his prescriptions for sound government policy, innovative (and profitable) business practice, and effective advocacy and monitoring by citizen groups. This should be required reading for policymakers, CEOs, and all who care about Asia and our fragile planet."
-- Stephen Heintz, President, Rockefeller Brothers Fund

"As a journalist, author and policy advisor who has lived in Asia for 25 years, Mark Clifford has chronicled the ups and downs of Asia's spectacular economic rise with more clarity and insight than any other. With this well researched and thought-provoking book, Clifford now offers the outlines of a blueprint for Asian political and business leaders to follow in order to prevent the Asian miracle being wiped away by the toxic rivers, "crazy bad" air and extreme weather resulting from decades of breakneck growth. Clifford's solution is for the region's dynamic and innovative companies to lead the way to a greener and cleaner Asia. Let's hope the business community carefully reads this book and takes Clifford's advice."
-- James McGregor, author of No Ancient Wisdom, No Followers: The Challenges of Chinese Authoritarian Capitalism and One Billion Customers: Lessons From the Front Lines of Doing Business in China.

"China is primed for its own 'Silent Spring' moment, where its people collectively realize the gravity of their environmental situation and demand aggressive action. In his new book "The Greening of Asia", Clifford takes us on a journey that highlights the growing seeds of this discontent as pollution and environmental degradation reaches unacceptable levels across Asia–and shows how at the same time the region is waking up to the business opportunity inherent in moving toward a clean-energy economy. Against the backdrop of China's voracious coal consumption, Clifford makes the case for the end of coal-making this a timely, compelling, and critical read."
-- Ron Pernick, Founder and Managing Director, Clean Edge, Inc.

"The Greening of Asia," compared to the many books on China's environmental challenges, shines most in its clear-eyed analysis of the fortunes of individual enterprises, such as Suntech, the Chinese solar technology company. Clifford's writing is business-like: to the point but in-depth when necessary, and neither brusque nor otherwise off-putting. While many different readers might find this book useful, it has a future as an excellent companion to texts in either law or business schools."
-- Joel Eisen, Professor of Law, University of Richmond