Evaluating Water Security in the Asia-Pacific Region: A New Approach Based on Vulnerability Indices

A specialist in non-traditional security issues in China and Southeast Asia outlines a new approach to investigating the emerging issue of water security in East Asia. The author develops a composite vulnerability index linking water availability with economic and social conditions, and applies the index to assess the effects of water supply constraints on 26 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The paper demonstrates that the index provides useful insights for further analyses, although additional work is needed before it can be considered fully reliable for forecasting purposes. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: F500, O180, Q010, Q250. 5 tables, 92 references, appendix.