What are some environmental problems in southeast Asia?

Answer 1

Southeast Asia faces many serious environmental problems, including deforestation, contaminated water supplies, water scarcity, overfishing, air pollution, and rising sea level.

Deforestation - Nearly 75% of Southeast Asia's original forest cover has been destroyed as land is cleared for housing, to make room for cattle production and agriculture, and to cut down trees for export. The loss of trees and forests has led to erosion of valuable topsoil and destabilized areas in mountainous regions, leading to mud slides that kill people, destroy towns and villages and pollute the water. Plus, deforestation also reduces habitat for native species of animals and plants.

Contaminated Water and Water Scarcity - Drinking water throughout Southeast Asia has been polluted from many sources, including untreated sewage, agricultural runoff that is full of pesticides and herbicides, and industrial waste water that is discharged into streams and rivers. As a result, millions of people must boil drinking water to rid it of harmful bacteria, or buy drinking water that has been purified. Plus, fresh water supplies are shrinking. As population increases, more and more water is being tapped to grow food, diminishing the amount of fresh water available for drinking. Climate change is reducing the amount of rain falling in some parts of Southeast Asia, so the water table is not being replenished adequately, either.

Overfishing - Fish are a primary food source for most people living in Southeast Asia. However, global demand for seafood is also on the rise. As "marine catches" increase by industrial fish processors, less and less fish are available for local people. In addition, overfishing is reducing stocks of fish below the points where they can easily replenish themselves.

Air Pollution - Air pollution is caused by burning fossil fuels, like gasoline in cars and coal and oil in power plants and factories. The number of drivers in countries in Southeast Asia is rapidly increasing, and they're driving vehicles that are poorly equipped to control to limit pollutants. In addition, coal-fired power plants, waste incinerators and factory furnaces emit significant amounts of chemicals that create smog and other toxic compounds. As a result, people are suffering from acute bronchitis, asthma, heart attacks and other illnesses related to dirty air.

Rising Sea Level - Climate change is causing polar ice caps to melt, increasing sea level and eroding Coastlines in many Southeast Asian countries. Some projections see the country of Bangladesh losing 17% of its land area to rising seas. Island nations like the Maldives and Tuvalu may disappear completely. Crop yields in India could drop by 30%.

Several of these problems can be addressed by switching to renewable sources of energy like solar and wind, which emit no pollutants. Better technology on cars and factories can capture more pollution at its source. Managing fisheries more sustainably will help rebuild fishing stocks. Coastal communities will have to move inland, or try to erect barriers to hold back the sea, though that will be extremely expensive and in the long run, may prove ineffective.

Answer 2

Air Pollution and contaminated water