US-Asian environmental partnership : project paper substitute

private environmental and energy firms to increase their competitiveness in Asian markets, while helping Asian countries undertake environmentally sustainable development. Project activities, which will be implemented by various U.S. government agencies, private firms, and NGO"s under the aegis of a U.S.-Asian Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) Secretariat, will include: (1) technology cooperation, (2) fellowships and training; (3) biodiversity conservation grants; and (4) infrastructure support. The technology cooperation component"s four activities will foster the application of U.S. energy and environmental technology to Asian problems. (1) At least 2 business centers will be established to supply information on U.S. services, products, processes, and on financing opportunities, business advisory services, joint venture interests, and trade exhibits. (2) Specialists on energy and the environment may be posted to Foreign Commercial Service offices in at least 3 U.S. embassies, to 3 business organizations in the region, and one government. (3) Technology information systems, such as the U.S. Commerce Department"s TOPS system, will be supported. (4) A fund will be established to help firms address specific technological needs in Asia. The fellowships and training component will also comprise four elements: (1) short-term non-academic environmental fellowships for technicians, policymakers, businesspeople and managers from Asia and the United States; (2) professional business exchanges to support specific problemsolving and technology cooperation activities; (3) trade-related business exchanges and training to facilitate specific joint ventures or other business transactions between U.S. and Asian firms; and (4) training at the U.S. Environmental Training Institute. About 1,000 persons will participate in these four activities. Under biodiversity conservation, approximately 30 competitive grants a year, of $50,000-$900,000, will support demonstration programs to show how rural and indigenous communities can realize economic benefits while conserving biological diversity. Of particular interest is the co-management of natural resources between communities and government or commercial entities. Working partnerships between U.S. and Asian business, NGO"s, and universities will receive the highest priority. A regional biodiversity conservation information network will be established to collect data from the demonstration sites and other sources. Finally, the project will promote the participation of U.S. firms in Asian environmental and energy infrastructure projects by providing information on planned projects and establishing a pilot clearinghouse financing facility which can strengthen U.S. firms" bidding position by streamlining their applications for assistance to such U.S. agencies as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the Trade and Development Program, and the Export-Import Bank. It is expected that at least 2 new infrastructure projects will be awarded to U.S. firms during the first 2 years of the project, and some 10 new firms will establish operations in Asia. The US-AEP, which was announced by President Bush in 1/92 in Singapore, is not limited to A.I.D. recipient countries. Implementing organizations include, inter alia, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, World Wildlife Fund, and The Asia Foundation. The US-AEP is not expected to be a U.S. government initiative in perpetuity; rather, it should evolve into a private nonprofit foundation, funded by a variety of sources.