The Asia-Pacific region is experiencing the fastest economic growth among the regions of the world. Yet, economic growth in its current form is placing enormous pressure on the environmental carrying capacity of the region. Unless this is properly checked, the environmental carrying capacity for future generations will be seriously compromised. Despite the increasing environmental pressure arising from economic growth, it is only through economic growth that the nations of the region can reduce poverty and improve environmental management. Therefore, the challenge is not to limit economic growth but to convert it into an environmentally sustainable form. In other words, the region has to turn away from the conventional ‘Grow First, Clean Up Later’ paradigm and move towards the ‘green growth’ paradigm which harmonises economic growth with environmental sustainability.