ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY COOPERATION:
THE UNITED KINGDOM'S TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE

by

Stella K. Blacklaws
Deputy Head, Technology Partnership Initiative
Department of Trade and Industry, London

INTRODUCTION

The United Kingdom's Technology Partnership Initiative (TPI) is wholly concerned with encouraging the transfer of environmental technologies and services to rapidly industrializing and developing countries. This paper is therefore written within the context of the environmental sector and does not consider other sectors.

The United Kingdom agrees about the importance of technology transfer for sustainable development, but also recognizes that most of it takes place through business-to-business mechanisms (the OECD puts the figure at around 93 per cent). Following calls from developing countries at the Rio Summit in 1992 for increased access to environmental technologies, the TPI was set up in 1993 to provide relevant information to business people in developing countries. Its regular newsletter to its network members is TPI News, with an estimated readership of around 4,500.

1.  EXPERIENCES

The TPI is a practical initiative which has six main components:

a network of multipliers, briefed on environmental issues and capabilities for dealing with them;

 a guide to suppliers of environmental technology and services to TPI markets;

 a regular newsletter (TPI News) which disseminates information on environmental issues affecting businesses in the developing countries;

training/education, including seminars in developing countries to alert business to the advantages of economic development which takes environmental impact into account and advises on solutions;

 promotional events to provide information about United Kingdom environmental technology capabilities and to put United Kingdom business in touch with potential buyers;

publications and general publicity.

The TPI regularly produces detailed environmental case studies and features, sometimes from a sector viewpoint and sometimes from the end-user perspective (e.g. textile manufacture). A composite booklet containing case studies and features to date will shortly be circulated to all network members, and a copy will be made available at the present meeting for reference purposes. A further booklet of case studies involving technology cooperation will be published in June 1996.

The TPI has plans to use the Internet by the end of 1996 in order to reach a larger part of the developing and industrializing world. It already uses a database of United Kingdom environmental companies to provide targeted information on capability in response to requests received through the network. Experience shows that this practical approach meets the needs identified so far and that existing systems should be monitored and built on before detailed consideration is given to additional databases or clearing houses (UNEP has already identified over 50 information systems dealing with environmentally sustainable technologies). There is a need therefore to learn from experience and to avoid overlap and duplication. The TPI welcomes participation in the existing loose network in order to share experiences.

The need for education and training in technology transfer is emphasized by the TPI, and it works in partnership with organizations in both the United Kingdom and TPI countries to provide suitable events and information to increase awareness particularly of the benefits of environmentally sound technology. This often includes use of standards such as BS 5750 and the emerging ISO 14001, as well as practical information on best practice or cleaner production methods. The partnership aims to stimulate technology transfer between the United Kingdom and developing countries, but stops short of involvement in actual projects, the terms of which are a matter for the parties concerned.

The TPI supports commercial transactions where both parties have a stake in their success (and where commercial mechanisms and incentives, such as an effective intellectual property rights system, are particularly important). Although there is general support for public/private sector initiatives which stimulate technology support, the United Kingdom would not seek to manipulate markets, for example by making public sector R & D support conditional on transfer of technology on preferential/concessionary terms. This could prove a disincentive to companies applying for support and thus a barrier to innovation. Equally, although there is a general aim to encourage technology needs assessment, the TPI would not become involved in across-the-board studies. This is because such studies should generally be applied to specific requirements, since solutions will depend on the particular circumstances of each company, country and so forth. There are also many mechanisms for successful technology transfer - no one mechanism is the key to all transfer. Commercial transactions, however, have been shown to be the single most effective means.

The TPI works with organizations within the United Kingdom and internationally to encourage technology transfer. These include trade associations, chambers of commerce, the commercial sections of British Embassies and High Commissions in TPI countries, the British Council, and regional environmental business councils and clubs.

The United Kingdom also supports technology transfer through export promotion and aid programmes.

A) Export promotion

The United Kingdom's export promotion programme promotes technology transfer through commercial channels; and of the top 80 United Kingdom export markets, 45 are developing countries. There is now greater emphasis on encouraging United Kingdom companies to move away from just sales-based exporting towards more partnerships, joint ventures and investments. In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment have established a Joint Environmental Markets Unit to improve the quality and accessibility of information about opportunities arising from moves towards higher environmental standards in the United Kingdom and overseas markets.

B) Aid programmes

The overall aim of aid programmes is to promote economic and social development in other countries and the welfare of their people. A large part of the United Kingdom's bilateral aid programme consists of technical cooperation - the transfer of knowledge and expertise to developing countries through consultancies and training. Lack of technical capacity in developing countries can sometimes be a reason for failure or lack of private inward investment which would transfer technology. Aid can therefore be targeted to helping improve relevant capacity in developing countries, but it is not suitable for subsidizing direct transfer of industrial technology, which must be market-driven.