In an interview with the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), US-AEP Executive Director Peter Kimm spoke about his priorities for US-AEP as well as his views on Southeast Asia and India in particular. CII later published this interview in its July-September 1998 edition of Green Business Opportunities. Featured below are excerpts from this talk.

CII: What are US-AEP�s priorities for the South-Asian region?
Kimm: I think we can all agree in 1998 that government can no longer be principally responsible for development, the economy, or the environment. New patterns of government activity and intervention must be defined�patterns that rely fundamentally on the strength of private enterprise and other nongovernmental organizations... patterns that are more catalytic than operational...patterns that leverage resources from a wide range of partners...patterns that can redefine the United States-Asia development relationship and define a new Partnership... We probably also agree on the importance of de-linking the environmental footprint from economic growth. It is my own judgment that technology is both a problem and a solution for the environment in Asia. Technological change has contributed most to economic growth. Properly channeled, it may be the key to environmental sustainability as well. But more needs to be done to capitalize on its potential, and that is our priority. Current best practices must be diffused more rapidly. Environmentally superior products and processes need to be brought to the market more quickly, and investment must be channeled in environmentally sound directions.

CII: What synergies do you see in Indo-U.S. partnerships in the area of environmental management?
Kimm: All U.S.-Indo partnerships are under review since the nuclear tests in May, but the most obvious synergy is in the area of technology collaboration. Unlike many of its Asian neighbors, India has a well-established science and technology sector. India also has an advanced capital goods industry. These two features define India as a promising technology partner with the United States. First, we could work together to minimize environmental damage before, during, and after product use. Process change in manufacturing could cut material use, energy consumption, and local pollution. Finally, together our science and technology sectors could work [toward] longer-term technological collaboration with a view to promoting environmentally critical technologies. But all of this is dependent, it seems to me, on a firm commitment to rapid economic growth and engagement with the global economy. It is clear that the private sector will have to be the engine for the most dynamic industrializing economies.

CII: With the approaching millennium, where do you see Indian industry on the global map?
Kimm: I personally agree with [CII President Rajesh V Shaw�s] emphasis on infrastructure investment and the need to attract private capital to the sector... this is an area where USAID has been working successfully and where I hope to see US-AEP more active in the coming years.

As noted in the July 13 UPDATE, a team of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency experts recently led a public seminar in Singapore to highlight the findings of EPA air monitoring efforts in Southeast Asia last year. The air quality assessments were conducted to identify potential health hazards resulting from biomass fires in Indonesia. Organized jointly by US-AEP/Singapore and the local United States Information Service (USIS) office, the July 21 event drew approximately 50 participants from government, industry, academia, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the press. The team presented a reassuring message: Singaporeans and Malaysians were at relatively low public health risk last year because their exposure to the haze was relatively brief. However, the experts stressed the need to be vigilant, since the fires could return and pose more significant hazards. In conjunction with this event, US-AEP arranged briefing sessions between the EPA experts and several government agencies, including Thailand�s Ministry of the Environment. More than 20 individuals, including the Permanent Secretary, came to listen to the EPA�s analysis.

With support from US-AEP/Thailand, EPA experts presented a "train-the-trainer" course, "Principles of Environmental Compliance and Enforcement," June 22-24 for 25 officials of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA). This training was repeated for 25 Thai Pollution Control Department (PCD) officials and stakeholder representatives. In addition, a new two-day course, "Environmental Awareness for Law Enforcement Personnel," was presented to 125 BMA law enforcement officers and stakeholder organizations in Bangkok. With ongoing EPA assistance, both courses are being adapted for use by BMA�s own training center, where they will be presented by Thai facilitators.