Asian countries are undergoing rapid political, economic and social transformations; meanwhile, there is a growing demand for knowing more about Asia. This Major Reference Set is designed to help general readers as well as specialists to have a good grasp of the latest developments in Asia in the key areas of economic growth, trade, energy, environment, foreign policy and security.With 4 volumes, this set covers all major dimensions of Asia's political economy. Contributors include both scholars and practitioners who provide first-hand description and analysis of fundamental issues in Asia.Peace and political stability are of ultimate importance, with Asia at the forefront of wealth creation in the global economy. Volume 1 unpacks and examines the foreign policy strategies of key states and the role of regional institutions in responding to the security demands of an Asian century.Volume 2 studies the strong economic integration through trade and cross-border investment that has been essential to Asia. The region's future prosperity depends on it being able to remain open and outward-looking. As Asia grows larger and richer, more concerted efforts are required to surmount regional rivalry and to further strengthen the regional architecture of economic cooperation.Volume 3 looks at the emerging economies' thirst for energy that creates huge competition, around which domestic, regional, and international political economy unfolds. Climate change and aspiration for sustainable development further complicate the challenge.Volume 4 offers a comprehensive coverage of subjects on environment and sustainable development in Asia with case studies of selected and representative countries that are at different stages of economic development and facing different environment-related problems and challenges in the twenty-first century.This interdisciplinary set is a fine example of international cooperation, with contributors hailing from different parts of Asia as well as North America and Europe. It is a must-have for anyone keen on understanding Asia's dynamic and changing scene.

The rise of China has been shaped and driven by its engagement with the global economy during a period of intensified globalization, yet China is a continent-sized economy and society with substantial diversity across its different regions. This means that its engagement with the global economy cannot just be understood at the national level, but requires analysis of the differences in participation in the global economy across China’s regions. This book responds to this challenge by looking at the development of China’s regions in this era of globalization. It traces the evolution of regional policy in China and its implications in a global context. Detailed chapters examine the global trajectory of what is now becoming known as the Greater Bay Area in southern China, the globalization of the inland mega-city of Chongqing, and the role of China’s regions in the globally-focused belt and road initiative launched by the Chinese government in late 2013. The book will be of interest to practitioners and scholars engaging with contemporary China’s political economy and international relations.

"The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic marks the most significant, singular global disruption since World War II, with health, economic, political, and security implications that will ripple for years to come." -Global Trends 2040 (2021) Global Trends 2040-A More Contested World (2021), released by the US National Intelligence Council, is the latest report in its series of reports starting in 1997 about megatrends and the world's future. This report, strongly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, paints a bleak picture of the future and describes a contested, fragmented and turbulent world. It specifically discusses the four main trends that will shape tomorrow's world: - Demographics-by 2040, 1.4 billion people will be added mostly in Africa and South Asia. - Economics-increased government debt and concentrated economic power will escalate problems for the poor and middleclass. - Climate-a hotter world will increase water, food, and health insecurity. - Technology-the emergence of new technologies could both solve and cause problems for human life. Students of trends, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academics, journalists and anyone eager for a glimpse into the next decades, will find this report, with colored graphs, essential reading.

Shifting cultivation supports around 200 million people in the Asia-Pacific region alone. It is often regarded as a primitive and inefficient form of agriculture that destroys forests, causes soil erosion and robs lowland areas of water. These misconceptions and their policy implications need to be challenged. Swidden farming could support carbon sequestration and conservation of land, biodiversity and cultural heritage. This comprehensive analysis of past and present policy highlights successes and failures and emphasizes the importance of getting it right for the future. This book is enhanced with supplementary resources. The addendum chapters can be found at: www.cabi.org/openresources/91797

This title was first published in 2003. This three-volume set examines the relationship between government and civil society in their efforts to define and pursue security. Including the results of an extensive research program, each volume is organized around one of the three principal themes - environment, people and globalization, supplying compelling evidence of the tension between economic change and human well-being. Challenging the conventional wisdom about the beneficial results of economically induced change, this first volume suggests that too often the mismanagement of development jeopardizes the security of individuals, families, communities, and possibly the state, by harming the very environment which is required to sustain both people and their economic existence. Bringing together an international group of scholars from a variety of disciplines, this volume is particularly relevant for academic and general research communities in the areas of social, economic, political and security matters of Southeast Asia.

Presents a multidimensional perspective of globalisation in Southeast Asia. Looks at political, economic, security, social, and cultural dimensions of globalisation and local responses, showing evidence of complex interfacing between the global and the local, championing the need for a multidisciplinary approach to globalisation studies.

Volume 1: Foreign Policy and Security in an Asian Century: Threats, Strategies and Policy Choices. Volume 2: Trade, Investment and Economic Integration. Volume 3: The Political Economy of Energy. Volume 4: Environment and Sustainable Development in Asia. J Inchaupe, Curtin Uni; MG Rolls, Uni Waikato, NZ.