On the industrial ecology potential in Asian Developing Countries

This paper focuses on the current situation in the adaptation and adoption of industrial ecology in Asian Developing Countries (ADCs). The objective of this paper is to consider the possibilities to develop an eco-industrial development (EID) strategy for these developing countries. We review the regional indigenous resources of ADCs and use the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) grouping to classify the preconditions of industrial ecology in ADCs. The authors of this paper argue that unlike the usual way of applying industrial ecology as a technical tool or a practical instrument, ADCs need to adopt industrial ecology as a strategic vision and as a strategic approach to plan the economic, social and ecological development of their national economies. In this way, it can be possible for the ADCs to avoid the same problems that occurred when the developed countries experienced industrialization and rapid economic growth, and move toward more sustainable development. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.