Book excerpt: This publication examines the existing systems for environmental governance in East Asian countries, a region which has seen considerable growth in its economy, industrial base and population in the last two decades. It contains cases studies from China, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand and focuses on three sectors: pesticide management; water quality and resources management; and air pollution management. This selection is intended to provide a diverse mix of political and historical backgrounds in order to give a representative view of governance mechanisms in highly industrialised, industrialising and developing economies.