Deforestation Southeast Asia forests have been decimated by
unconstrained logging, much of it illegal, over the last two
decades. Current patterns of forest exploitation in the region
threaten ecological security, biodiversity, and the livelihoods of
millions of people who live in the remaining forest areas. In the
Philippines 16 million hectares of natural forest have been reduced
to just 700,000 hectares, with illegal logging causing much of the
destruction. Smuggling of timber has also been documented across
the region - from Indonesia to Malaysia, Singapore and China, from
Cambodia to Thailand and Vietnam, and from Myanmar (Burma) to
China.
Slide 3
Indonesia Indonesia has the most extensive rainforests in Asia,
globally ranking third in size after those of Brazil and the
Democratic Republic of Congo, and their biological richness is
unique. Many habitats and species are under serious threat as a
result of deforestation; between 1990 and 2005, Indonesia lost 28
million ha of forest, including 21.7 million ha of virgin forest.
This loss of primary forest was second only to that in Brazil and
the deforestation rate is still increasing. In the 1960s 82% of the
country was forested; today, that figure is 49%. Much of the
remaining cover is over-logged and degraded. Indonesia's forests
are some of the most threatened in the world.
Slide 4
Malaysia Malaysia's timber industry is the country's fourth-
largest export earner and is keen to increase market share in
premium priced sensitive European markets. Malaysia has been
accused by environmental campaigners of being a conduit for trade
in illegally harvested timber products from Indonesia. In response,
the government has prohibited imports of all logs and large sawn
timber from Indonesia and tightened up regulations. However, there
have been recent accusations of corruption among government
officials, including the Chief Minister of Sarawak, enabling the
illegal import of timber from Indonesia. Sarawak officials have
also been accused of attempts to replace elected local officials
with timber company stakeholders in Penan communities.
Slide 5
Philippines Since the 1970s, the rapid depletion of timber
stocks in the Philippines has led to a shift in emphasis from
timber harvesting and utilization to protection, development and
conservation of forest land. Deforestation and land degradation are
serious problems, caused by decades of intensive logging,
agricultural expansion, inequitable land distribution and failed
policies. The government established more than 270 protected areas,
encompassing more than 4.2million ha, and forest conservation areas
now cover an estimated 2.7million ha. Logging is banned in old
growth forests and on steeply sloping areas but the government is
struggling to implement this because of economic necessity.
Slide 6
Thailand Despite the logging ban and conservation measures,
deforestation and degradation from encroachment and illegal logging
continue to be serious problems. The ban also appears to be
resulting in illegal cross-border activities with impacts on the
forests of neighboring countries. Both the Malaysian and Myanmar
(Burmese) authorities have recently arrested Thai loggers. There
have also been allegations of Thai officials being involved in
illegal logging.
Slide 7
Paracel Islands - approximately 16 degrees north of the equator
and about 233 miles east of Da Nang, Vietnam - once belong to the
French Indochina until the Japanese held captive of them during
World War II. - although closer to Vietnam, China took possession
of the islands in 1974 - Taiwan is also claiming Paracel Islands
aside from China and Vietnam - countries are fighting over the
islands for potential oil reserves beneath the ocean
Slide 8
Spratly Islands - a group of more or less a hundred islands and
reefs lying about 2/3s of the way from southern Vietnam to the
Philippines. - used to be a submarine base by the Japanese during
the WWII - have natural resources such as fish, guano and
undetermined natural gas and oil potential - about 45 of the
islands are claimed and occupied by China, Malaysia, Philippines,
Taiwan and Vietnam - Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone
in the southern Spratly in 1984
Slide 9
The Distribution Of Spratly Islands
Slide 10
Spratly Islands - in 1994, Exxon, an American oil company
signed a multibillion dollar deal with Indonesia to develop the
Natuna gas fields in the southern Spratlys, an area claimed by
China - clashes happened between China and Philippines in 1995
because China occupied one island within 124 miles of the
Philippine island of Palawan - that same year, Indonesia joined the
dispute over Chinas claim to the natural gas fields
Slide 11
Circular - this is the most desirable shape for a country
because it allows equal access to all places from the center - it
also implies stability - an example is the country of Cambodia
Slide 12
Cambodia having a circular shape but doesnt really have a
history of stability.
Slide 13
Elongated - elongated countries tend to have unity and control
problems - examples are Vietnam and Laos
Slide 14
LAOS VIETNAM
Slide 15
Prorupt - compact countries but have at least one extension of
territory - usually have control problems especially in the
prorupted areas - examples are Thailand and Myanmar, both have
problems with prorupted areas esp in Thailand having a Muslim
population in the southern part
Slide 16
THAILANDMYANMAR
Slide 17
Archipelago - countries that are broken into pieces - have
trouble with unity and have separatist movements - examples are
Indonesia and Philippines having unity problems. However Brunei and
Malaysia are archipelago countries too, do not suffer from
instability
Slide 18
INDONESIAPHILIPPINES
Slide 19
BRUNEIMALAYSIA
Slide 20
Association of Southeast Asian Nations Formed in 1967 to
promote social, economic and political cooperation within the
region Original members were Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore,
Indonesia and Philippines. Brunei joined after its independence in
1984 Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia joined in the 1900s.
Timor-Leste joined after independence in 2002 Main goals are to
promote and integrate economic development, encourage social and
cultural progress and guarantee regional peace and stability
Slide 21
Economics of the member countries are competitive rather than
complementary thus trade outside the group is better than inside
the group Barriers that are employed to protect domestic industries
serve as obstacle for intraregional exchange Small productivity
countries such as Vietnam and Brunei can not catch up and match up
to the exchanges of more developed countries like Singapore and
Thailand
Slide 22
ASEAN change from trades within the group to building a single
market and attract foreign investors Singapore and Thailand are
first in these cooperation India and China are boasting about their
investments in Southeast Asia, pointing out their importance
Slide 23
Over lending by banks caused a major financial crisis hence a
halt in the economic growth in the ASEAN countries Thailand,
Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia were forced to devalue their
money in 1997 This was caused by large foreign borrowing, large
bank loans and slower than expected economic growth. Japan then
slowed its investments to Southeast Asia
Slide 24
By early 2000s, China boomed and Southeast Asias foreign
investors redirected to China leaving Southeast Asia even more
slumped after the 1997 crisis. The most recent crisis happened in
2007 when Southeast Asias economies exports fell and the flow of
foreign investments stopped