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Training in
Manila, Philippines, highlights environmental risk in emerging capital
markets.
Through its environmental due diligence initiative, US-AEP continues to
help Asian financial institutions incorporate environmental considerations
into their lending practices. For example, US-AEP�s Environmental Exchange
Program (EEP) arranged environmental risk management training March 15-19
for leaders of Asian banks as well as venture capital and industry
associations. "Competitive Environmental Advantage: Managing Environmental
Risk in Emerging Capital Markets" was held in Manila, Philippines, and
conducted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). IFC�the private
sector arm of the World Bank Group�is the world�s largest multilateral
source of debt and equity financing for private sector projects in
developing countries.
The workshop focused on three main areas: an analysis of the financial
costs and benefits of implementing environmental management techniques;
information on how to implement the techniques; and a strategy for gaining
institutional support for the changes required. To demonstrate how
environmental management techniques are used in the "real world," IFC
provided actual case studies from current projects. Participants were
graduates of previous US-AEP activities arranged by EEP in 1997-98, such as
"Environmental Risk Management for Bankers" training and U.S. study tours.
[Note: EEP is administered by the Institute of International Education.]
US-AEP/Singapore assists Pennsylvania firm with technology sales.
EcoTech Systems International, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
reports that it has established a foothold in the Asia region with
assistance from US-AEP�s Office of Technology Cooperation in Singapore. Last
year, US-AEP helped facilitate a joint venture between EcoTech and Probity
Enterprise Pte. Ltd. of Singapore to market the U.S. company�s. In just six
months, the joint venture�called EcoTech Systems Singapore (ESS)�has
generated $1.5 million in sales of magnetic water treatment technology to
electronics and aviation multinationals. US-AEP�s Technology Representative
in Singapore continues to provide business counseling to ESS; at the Tech
Rep�s recommendation, ESS is now pursuing business opportunities in Brunei.
Overseas
Program Fund supports delegations to upcoming conferences.
US-AEP�s Overseas Program Fund (OPF), administered by the National
Association of State Development Agencies (NASDA), will be used to bring
delegations to three important environmental conferences this summer. At
Waste Expo �99 in Dallas, Texas, June 8-10, the U.S.-based Environmental
Industries Association will sponsor 70 delegates from the Philippines,
India, Korea, Singapore, and Thailand using OPF funds. The delegates
represent public and private organizations interested in purchasing U.S.
solid waste management technologies and services. Each delegate will
participate in one-on-one meetings and site visits. The Air & Waste
Management Association (A&WMA) is sponsoring an OPF delegation to attend A&WMA�s
92nd Meeting and Exhibition in St. Louis, Missouri, June 20-25. More than
100 delegates from Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand are expected to participate in
the exhibition, one-on-one meetings, and site visits. (US-AEP�s Executive
Director Peter Kimm will deliver a keynote address at the conference.) And
the Houston District Export Council is using OPF funds to sponsor a
delegation of several U.S. environmental companies to attend the Enviromex/Watermex
�99 trade show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, July 13-16. The US-AEP Office of
Technology Cooperation in Malaysia has also arranged one-on-one meetings and
technology demonstrations to enable the U.S. companies to explore potential
business opportunities with local firms.
New on the
US-AEP website: information on international trade financing.
A new addition to the Export-Link� section of US-AEP�s website provides
detailed information on international trade finance, including development
project opportunities, methods of financing international trade, and key
financing agencies and organizations. You can find the information at
https://www.usaep.org/export/.
EEP
introduces water and wastewater design options to Asian delegation.
On March 22-31, US-AEP�s Environmental Exchange Program (EEP) held a U.S.
study tour�"Wastewater Infrastructure for Secondary Cities"�to facilitate
the design of water and wastewater treatment facilities in Asia. The event
was held in collaboration with US-AEP�s Office of Technology Cooperation in
the Philippines; the Water Environmental Federation, one of US-AEP�s
partners for environmental professional development in Asia; and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. The study tour enabled ten municipal
government officials from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea,
as well as private sector delegates from Malaysia, to learn about American
management techniques and technologies for water utilities. Participants met
with representatives from U.S. county and local government agencies, water
and wastewater equipment companies, and engineering firms. In addition, they
toured public wastewater treatment facilities in Seattle, Washington, and
Oakland, California. [Note: EEP is administered by the Institute of
International Education.]
May 6-7
cleaner production conference in Bangkok.
Kenan Institute Asia (KIAsia), one of US-AEP�s partners for Asian
environmental infrastructure development, is organizing a May 6-7
conference, "Improve Industrial Competitiveness Through Cleaner Technology:
A Path to Sustainable Development," in Bangkok, Thailand. On the agenda:
discussions of best practices in cleaner production by leading companies,
and presentations by representatives of US-AEP�s Clean Technology and
Environmental Management (CTEM) program and the Greening of Industry
Network-Asia. In addition, a report by the Thai Environment Institute on the
experiences of ISO 14001-certified companies in Thailand will be presented
and distributed. Development of this report was made possible by a US-AEP
CTEM grant. Urban Environmental Infrastructure Representative in Bangkok,
Kitti Kumpeera, is assisting with the conference. For more information,
contact Khun Kitti at e-mail address:
kiausaep@loxinfo.co.th.
June
conference on industrial energy efficiency to be held in New York.
American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) will hold a June
15-18 study conference on energy efficiency in industry. "Industry &
Innovation in the 21st Century," co-sponsored by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, will take place in Saratoga Springs, New York. Featured
topics include technical advances in various industrial areas; policies to
increase energy efficiency, including carbon impacts; insights on successful
partnership programs; analytical underpinnings of policy areas; and more. In
addition, industry site tours will highlight energy efficiency and pollution
prevention strategies and technologies. For more information, visit the
ACEEE website at
http://aceee.org |
