-
In the
Mekong region (Greater Mekong Subregion) there are many actors with very
different interests and powers, exhibiting contrasting modes of
behavior, and having varying degrees of influence. An enhanced
understanding of these actors and the institutional framework within
which they operate is a task that the Resource Policy Support Initiative
(REPSI) has taken on, as a part of the MREG project. This paper will
report on progress of MREG research being undertaken in 2000-2001,
coordinated by the World Resource Institute. Engage in the research are
actors from ASEAN, ADB, MRC, ESCAP, local NGOs, regional NGOs and
international NGOs working in cooperation with members of policy
research institutes and advocacy networks from thought the Greater
Mekong subregion. The first major context for MREG is environmental
governance, by which we mean the manner in which decisions are made and
authority is exercised (or at least attempted to be exercised) over the
environment and natural resources of any place. Obviously this is an :
“ (Environmental governance is) an inherently political process, in
which various stakeholder - including central government agencies,
concession-holders, rural populations, and even international donor
agencies-may be differentially positioned to represent their (various)
interest” The second major context for the MREG research is regional
integration in East Asia/South East Asia/Greater Mekong Subregion/Lower
Mekong and the worldwide phenomenon of new regionalism. Global studies,
including work by Hettne et al.in the United Nations University-WIDER
project, have investigated the new waves of regional integration in
various parts of the world occurring since the mid-1980s. This analysis
endorse new efforts directed at enhancing our understanding of any of
the following the strength and relationships between various types of
actors, acknowledging the complex interdependencies ; the impact and
consequences of asymmetric power relations; the visions, motivations and
strategies of various actors, their quality, resources and operating
conditions the different from of regionalism, not just the formal '
top-down' regionalism involving inter-governmental organizations, but
also the less formal 'bottom-up' or ' from-all-sides' initiatives. These
regionalism research suggestions, and other findings from environmental
governance investigation, were considered to be suitable points of
departure for the MREG. In particular this paper will present an
approach for investigating institutional frameworks, and the political
economy of various actors. It will also present the results to date of
the MREG ' work in progress' and discuss the process which has been
undertaken to successfully engage a diverse group of regional actors.
|
