Enforcing environmental protection regulation

Without monitoring and enforcement, environmental protection regulations, regardless how well drafted, will be ineffective.

Problems with inspection and enforcement, especially in rapidly developing nations, appear to be worsening as limited capacity and resources face an explosion of industrial activity and urbanization.

Recognizing that regulation will be ineffective if not supported by adequate inspection and enforcement agencies, some developing country governments, notably in the Asia and Pacific region, have also increased their spending on environmental personnel. For example, the annual increase in the number of officials in central environment agencies in the Asian newly industrializing economies during 1989-94 was 7.6 per cent, compared with 4.7 per cent in all government organizations (ESCAP/ADB 1995).