Institutions and Environmental Protection in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo

Abstract

Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo are three of the wealthiest and most developed cities in not only Asia, but the entire world. They all saw rapid economic growth over the course of the 20th century, and they have all transitioned from an industrial to a service driven economies. Yet despite being very similar cities, they have different environmental outcomes. While Tokyo and Singapore have been very successful in reducing air and water pollution and improving environmental quality, Hong Kong, while it has made improvements, has struggled to reach the same standards as the other two cities. In examining the steps each city has taken to address air and water pollution, this paper looked to discover what institutional factors could explain these differences in environmental outcomes. In Hong Kong, it was found that the relative under-prioritization of environmental issues in relation to other factors among both the government and the general public as well as poor communication contributed to the lack of success. Among successful measures, it finds that strict enforcement, effective coordination within the government and between the government and other stakeholders in society, and civil society support are important institutional structures.