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Expert Meeting on EST Information Systems

UNEP IETC was recently called upon to adopt an influential role in fostering greater access to information on environmentally sound technologies (ESTs). This will be achieved with measures aimed at promoting widespread communication and collaboration between providers, intermediaries and users involved with EST information dissemination. Over 50 experts from throughout the world came together in Paris from 9 to 11 October 1995 to discuss the current state of EST information dissemination. The participants were drawn from UN and other international agencies, INFOTERRA national focal points, national governments, NGOs and the private and academic sectors.

The meeting represented a significant step forward in ongoing integrated project work of three UNEP units - the International Environmental Technology Centre (Japan), the Industry and Environment Programme Activity Centre (Paris) and INFOTERRA (Kenya). Participants at the expert meeting recommended that these three units, and their respective collaborative partners, form the basic framework for a consultative mechanism of networked institutions which are sources, facilitators and consumers of information on environmentally sound technologies.

According to Jorge Illueca, Acting Assistant Executive Director of the UNEP Division of Environmental Management Support, a lack of access to information on available environmentally sound technologies has been identified as a significant barrier to the technological transformation needed to achieve sustainable development. As part of its efforts to remedy this situation, since January 1995 UNEP has extensively surveyed organisations and information systems dealing with environmentally sound technologies (see INSIGHT, Spring 1995). This work has been welcomed by the Commission on Sustainable Development which requested that UNEP submit an interim report in 1996 which:

• includes systems and sources from developed and developing countries;
• analyses information and identifies deficiencies, gaps and duplications;
• evaluates systems with respect to information quality, accessibility and costs; and
• explores the idea of a broadly based consultative mechanism among information providers and potential users.

Lowell Flanders, Assistant Director of the UN Division for Sustainable Development, noted that the Paris expert meeting was a critical step in considering these points and in preparing for the next interim report to the CSD. Panel presentations and discussion sessions took place on the needs of users of EST information with a particular emphasis on developing countries and countries in economic transition. In addition to detailed system presentations, the experts considered information dissemination in the energy and pollution control sectors, covering a range of organisations at different stages of development. The participants where then encouraged to discuss possible approaches to "bridging the gap" and potential future directions for UNEP's activities in this area.

Recommendations made at the meeting were numerous and varied. Some of the main points, presented below, included requests for:

• regular up-dating of existing survey work;
• assessment of the needs of users of EST information systems;
• promotion of two-way communication between users and operators of EST information systems, based on the principles of "multiple access points" and "decentralization," through establishment of a network linking people, systems and organisations involved in information dissemination; and,
• measures to improve system performance and the quality of information contained therein with a focus on system bench-marking and the inclusion of more information on demonstrated technologies and contact details.

Individuals and organisations who are interested in collaborating with UNEP in further developing the EST information system are invited to send

• Brochure
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• International Year of Forests
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• World Environment Day
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• UNEP Campaign
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