Distinguished officials and international groups gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, from July 28-30 to launch an Asian regional environmental initiative, the Greening of Industry Network-Asia. William Itoh, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand, presided over the ceremony inaugurating the Network�s new Asian base, and Asian and American dignitaries gathered to celebrate the event. Among those present were Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchapakdi, Undersecretary Melito Sison Salazar, Jr. of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, White House Advisor on the Environment Kathleen McGinty, and former Indonesian Minister of the Environment Emil Salim.

The event took place at Bangkok�s Chulalongkorn University, which will serve as the Network�s home in Asia. Along with representatives from the Network�s two other nodes�Clark University in the United States and the University of Twente in the Netherlands�Chulalongkorn President Dr. Thienchay Kiranandana signed an agreement establishing the new base.

In opening the proceedings, US-AEP Executive Director Peter Kimm noted the important interrelationships between environmental and economic policies and congratulated both Chulalongkorn University and the other Network partners for their extraordinary cooperative effort. Several additional organizations provided support, including the Asian Productivity Organization; United Nations Environment Program; the Indonesian Ministry of Industry and Trade as well as Ministry of Environment; the Philippines� Department of Trade and Industry, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources; and, in Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries, and the Ministries of Industry, Science, Technology and Environment, and University Affairs.

The inauguration of the Greening of Industry Network-Asia coincided with an international conference addressing the need to reconcile economic and technological development with long-term environmental sustainability. More than 200 senior leaders from industry, government, academia, and communities explored the theme: "Economic Recovery & Environmentally Sustainable Industry in Asia: Compatible Goals?"

Established in 1991, the Greening of Industry Network conducts activities to promote a sustainable future. Current membership includes nearly 1,500 individuals from 50 countries, representing government ministries, research institutions, corporations, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

US-AEP's Environmental Exchange Program (EEP) recently teamed up with the Malaysian Central Bank's Institute of Banks-Bank Malaysia (IBBM) and the Bank of America to co-sponsor an "Environmental Risk Management for Bankers" training course. Held July 23-24 in Kuala Lumpur, this event attracted more than 30 representatives from Malaysia's central bank and operating banks across the country, as well as one association executive who represented 76 financial institutions across Asia. Opening remarks by US-AEP Executive Director Peter Kimm preceded a keynote address by the central bank's Deputy Governor Dato Fong Weng Phak.

Malaysia's banks had never before participated in environmental risk management training. The director of Malaysia�s Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MOSTE) said the Ministry has been trying to attract the banks' attention on environmental issues for years, and was delighted at the success of this event. Highlighting the importance of the training, the July 31 edition of "The Star" newspaper in Malaysia featured an article�"Link Between Banking and the Environment"�describing the benefits to banks of considering environmental criteria when making loan decisions. Bank of America's Senior Vice President, Mr. Evan C. Henry, who conducted the training for EEP, explained that companies who denigrate the environment and violate environmental regulations run the risk of paying for their actions�in tangible dollars and cents. "This results in companies having problems paying a debt or having a harder time doing so," Mr. Henry said. "It is in our best long-term interest to work with business partners who minimize their environmental risks and problems."

The Malaysian bankers� overall responsiveness to these issues might best be summed up by one participants� answers to a post-seminar survey: "Are you interested in learning more about U.S. banks' approaches to environmental credit risk management?" Reply: Yes. "What, in particular, would you be interested in learning more about?" Everything.

From July 11-23, several Asians took part in a US-AEP Environmental Exchange Program study tour in the United States. Through technology presentations and factory site visits in Chicago, Illinois, and the San Francisco Bay Area in California, the tour enabled 13 participants from the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore to observe U.S. clean technologies in use in the electroplating industry.

In Chicago, participants were introduced to relevant U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations, local pretreatment programs, and representatives of the American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Society. Serfilco, Inc., a leading U.S. producer of filters, hosted the group for three days of demonstrations on best management practices and conventional technologies.

In California, the delegation learned about extension programs and state-of-the-art closed-loop technologies employed by electroplating shops in Silicon Valley. Site visits to metal finishing shops in the Bay Area involved suppliers of microfiltration, reverse osmosis, ion-exchange, and hazardous waste treatment systems developed by companies such as Hydromatix, Dry-Vac, US Filter, Chemical Solutions International and Gulfstream Stablex. The study tour closed with a workshop�"Pollution Prevention Technologies Workshop for Metal Finishing"�led by the EPA�s Leif Magnussen.