• 
• Japanese
• 
• IETC's Focal Area
• Waste Management
• Publications & Tools
• Meetings & Workshops
• Global Partnership on Waste Management
• Background
• Objectives
  & Expected Outcomes
• Framework
• Sub-focal Areas
• Information Platform
• Meetings
• Participation / Membership
• Water and Sanitation
• Publications & Tools
• Meetings & Workshops
• Resources
• Publications & Tools
• About IETC
• Background and History
• Director
• Activity Reports
• Supporting Foundations
• Internship
• Contact Us

Seminar on EST Information Systems Confirms Technology Transfer Essential for Sustainable Development

The transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies is indispensible for achieving sustainable development as identified in Chapter 34 of Agenda 21. In facilitating technology transfer, information systems play an essential role. Therefore, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) and related organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), have been conducting research and projects in this area. For example, two expert meetings on Information Systems of Environmentally Sound Technologies (EST-ISs) were held in 1995 and 1997 respectively, sponsored by then UNEP Industry and Environment (IE) and IETC. IETC and then IE also performed a UNEP Survey of Information Systems Related to ESTs and submitted a follow-up report to CSD-5 in 1997. In addition, the Centre has developed a new PC software, "maESTro," for information exchange on ESTs.

In June last year, however, a Special Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGASS) reviewed progress of governments in implementing Agenda 21 as agreed at the Rio Conference, and identified an urgent need for developing countries to acquire greater access to ESTs. As a result, the Assembly requested that the international community promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, access to and transfer of ESTs. The Assembly also recognized that there is a need to further explore and enhance the potential of global electronic information and telecommunication networks, and requested assistance be provided to developing countries to enhance their capacities. Follow-up on the issue took place in April, at CSD-6, for review by UNGASS in 2002.

In this context, IETC and the Global Environment Centre Foundation (GEC), in co-operation with the Indonesian Government and the Environment Agency of Japan, held an International Seminar on EST-ISs in February 1998. The principal purposes of the seminar were to promote recognition of the important role ESTs play in achieving sustainable development, and to facilitate technology transfer by assisting developing countries in their efforts to improve access to various EST-ISs, including IETC's maESTro, GEC's NETT21 and the Eco Asia Net of Japan's Environment Agency (EA). The seminar was also expected to contribute feedback for international EST-ISs providers in order to improve the usefulness and user friendliness of EST-ISs.

The seminar was held from 18 to 20 February at the Environment Management Center in Serpong, Indonesia. Approximately 60 participants from seven countries and four organizations in the Asia-Pacific Region attended the seminar, including representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat, observers from the Indonesian Government, and participants from universities, industry and NGOs in Indonesia. Ms. Lilia G.C. Casanova, Deputy Director, IETC, and Ms. Liana Bratasida, Director, Directorate for Technical Development, Environment Impact Management Agency (BAPEDAL) of Indonesia, co-chaired the meeting. Several useful recommendations to facilitate technology transfer through the use of information systems were made as a result of the gathering.

Three Sessions Held
The Seminar consisted of three sessions: Demand and Supply for Information on ESTs; Functional and Operational Conditions Required for EST-ISs; and, Issues and Solutions for Promoting and Using EST-ISs. The variety of needs for information on ESTs is stressed on various occasions, but it is not always clear what sort of information is actually needed in a country, what the situation is regarding EST-ISs in different countries, and how nations can improve access to international EST-ISs and develop their own EST-ISs. This information gap is thought to be one of the principal obstacles to easier technology transfer. The first session, "Demand and Supply for Information on ESTs," addressed this problem.

During this session, seven countries (China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam) reported on the current situation of EST-ISs in their respective nations and the obstacles they face. It was clear that there are diverse problems, and levels of EST-ISs vary from nation to nation. Some developing countries have started to implement plans for EST-ISs; nevertheless, the participants expressed their need to learn from the experiences of developed countries and neighboring countries. Particular areas of interest were networking facilities, software applications and human resources development. Promoting awareness, as well as the applicable uses, of ESTs was suggested as a priority that requires financial support.

One speaker, Prof. Takashi Hayase of Nagasaki University, Japan, noted that information on ESTs plays an important role in overcoming environmental pollution problems. He also stressed that public access to and dissemination of environmental information is quite important to deal with environmental issues.

Practical technology and knowledge are also needed to improve access to and to develop EST-ISs in a country. This was the theme of Session II, "Functional and Operational Conditions Required for EST-ISs."

In this session, currently available EST-ISs were demonstrated, including maESTro by IETC, NETT21 (New Environmental Technology Transfer for the 21st Century) by GEC, Eco Asia Net (Environmental Information Network in Asia and the Pacific) by Japan's EA, and APEC Virtual Center by the Secretariat of the APEC Environmental Technology Exchange. UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific also made a presentation on the relationship between EST-ISs and the context in which EST is adopted. The third session was entitled "Issues and Solutions for Promoting and Using EST-IS." At this session, the participants discussed policy issues related to promoting technology transfer by facilitating access to information on ESTs in developing countries. The Secretariat presented responses gathered from questionnaires filled out by the participants regarding needs for and development of EST-ISs. Responses from eight information users and four information providers noted a need for EST information mainly for technology transfer. The Internet, where available, was considered a particularly useful tool for information gathering; however, several countries responded that they were not aware of the availability of 84 EST-ISs listed in a UNEP survey of organizations worldwide.

The main obstacles in the way of accessing EST-ISs were found to be a lack of infrastructure and skills related to computer information systems, a lack of information on available EST-ISs, and gaps between needs and information available on EST-ISs. The respondents emphasized that in order to solve these problems there is a need to develop and promote applications for EST-ISs. Participants in the third session also noted that support is needed for networking facilities and required technologies, as well as consultation, training and cooperation projects. Further discussions centered on environmental problems in participants' countries, methods for collecting environmental information, and information dissemination systems.

Conclusions Reached
In closing the seminar, the Chairperson summarized the major conclusions reached by the participants. One conclusion was that it is necessary to disseminate information on EST-ISs to promote not only new and high technologies but also appropriate, practical and suitable technologies from developed and developing countries. The need to provide information on both hard and soft ESTs was also highlighted. Another conclusion was that information on endogenous technologies, as well as on exogenous technologies, should be properly gathered, documented, organized and widely disseminated. In addition, it was recommended that each country establish a focal point(s), either at the national or regional/local level, whose function is to disseminate necessary information on ESTs and related information systems. Finally, it was agreed that the potential for informal exchange of information should be explored with a view to establishing formal information exchange networks. In this regard, participants were requested to initiate a human network for environmental information exchange.

Seminar Follow-up Planned
The Chairpersons' summary will provide a reference for considering future activities undertaken by IETC, GEC and related organizations. In particular, the possibility of developing informal networks for environmental information exchange will be considered. GEC, established by the Osaka Prefectural Government and the Osaka City Government in order to support IETC activities, has conducted a variety of projects in cooperation with IETC aimed at promoting urban environmental management. GEC is now considering further development of information networks through various activities, including cooperation projects with developing countries together with IETC.

• Brochure
• 
• 



• International Year of Forests
• 
• 



• World Environment Day
• 
• 



• UNEP Campaign
• 
•