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Environmental technology for sustainable development
In Bangladesh, as in any other developing country, faced with the scourge of environmental degradation, we have a lot to learn. We have to seriously face this issue on a bi-partisan basis. There should not be any politics associated in the saving of the environment and the introduction and association of environment friendly technology in our future development efforts...While absorbing fresh ideas from abroad, we should also try to engage our limited resources in finding appropriate technology which we can introduce in our country.
mental technologies offer a natural bridge between our economic, social and environmental goals. New and innovative environmental technologies have the potential to raise environmental standards while lowering costs, which would boost economic growth and allow the economy to grow faster without going beyond our environmental carrying capacity.
Efforts undertaken in this direction can add to economic growth in a number of ways. They allow us to get more environmental protection for less money and meet expected standards at a lower cost. This frees up resources for use elsewhere in the economy. This also helps to decouple environmental pollution and resource use from economic growth, allowing the economy more scope to grow in the long run while still remaining within our environment's limits. This as we all agree is central to sustainable development.
An innovative environmental technology sector can help underpin growth if it is capable of tapping into rapidly growing export markets. By developing better and more cost-effective technologies we can also open up a wider range of options, facing the kind of environmental constraints that we do.
My discussion today on environmental technologies refers to far more than 'end-of-pipe' devices to clean up pollution. Environmental technologies in my mind include 'integrated' technologies that would prevent pollutants being generated through the production process, as well as new materials, energy and resource-efficient production processes, environmental know-how, and new ways of working. In short, in my opinion, we need to take a broad view of environmental technologies, as from a policy perspective our concern should be the sue and potential of environmental technologies throughout the economic system.
We must remember that environmental technologies are already a growing industry. Rising demand for a better environment has led to an expanding supply of environmentally friendly techniques, products and services in both the industrialised and the developing counties. However, unfortunately, in countries like Bangladesh, we do not have data that captures the whole range of innovative technologies in use. The data that we possess captures only a narrow range of such technologies, and includes only those that are driven purely by environmental protection requirements. However, one thing is realised clearly. This sector has great potential. It is also understood that it is diverse and dynamic and is well placed to perform in growing market conditions.
It is universally accepted that sustainable development strategy is based on the principle that economic growth, environmental protection and social inclusion should go hand in hand. In this respect, environmental technologies that lower the costs of environmental protection can play a dual role. On the one hand they help us to meet increased demands for a cleaner environment by reducing the environmental impact of economic growth, while on the other they reduce any impact of higher environmental standards on GDP growth itself. In other words, they play an important role in de-coupling environmental impacts from economic growth.
Ensuring that future investment in Bangladesh is environmentally friendly will be critical. In this context, there has to be more investment in research and development. We have to move towards the concept of a knowledge-based industry. There has to be a substantial increase in both public and private research and development. This will then be seen as an important signal of our underlying desire for a sustainable future. If we look at what is happening near at hand, we should understand the importance that is being attached to this factor. Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore have already embarked on this course. We should not lag behind.
However, while I stress on this, I also take this opportunity to point out that there needs to be right incentives for this new wave of technological progress. We must work out a proper strategy where the overall thrust should include aspects such as the completion of the internal market in the financial sector and the simplification of the regulatory frameworks. Only this will help in the emergence of innovative solutions and forward-looking enterprise in the field of environmental technologies. We also have to address ourselves in resolving some of the existing problems like lack of venture capital, risk aversion and red tape.
One must remember that environmental technologies include both integrated technologies that prevent pollutants being generated during the production process, and end-of-pipe technologies that reduce the release into the environment of any pollutants that are produced. They can also include new materials, energy and resource efficient production processes as well as environmental know-how and new ways of working.
It could include intermediate products, machinery, equipment and vehicles used for environmental protection, and the environmental activity of all businesses. As such environmental technology will include both low and high-tech applications. It would be worthwhile to remember here that boosting the degree of technology inherent in low-tech applications will be just as important as boosting it in applications that are high-tech. It is the potential that we must target within the system.
Another aspect should draw our attention. We have to appreciate that some environmental technologies need to be driven by environmental considerations only, including legislation, rather than profitability. Recent steps taken by the present Administration and also by the past government have contributed to signals that this country is trying to organise production and consumption in a sustainable way, and is producing less pollution that needed cleaning up. The decision of banning the use of plastic bags has indeed been a welcome step. So has been the decision to clean the pollution in the air by outlawing certain forms of transport. In the short term there will be difficulties, but in the long term we will gain from such measures.
The question that now arises is what constitutes an eco-industry. Well, broadly, one could define it as all activities which produce goods and services that help to measure, prevent, limit, minimise or correct environmental damage to water, air and soil, as well as problems related to waste, noise and ecosystems. This is the OECD concept and really appears to cover all factors.
The above definition apparently is meant to include three categories of activities: a) pollution management of both a preventive or remediative nature (such as reducing emissions, reducing environmental risks or clearing up environmental damage); b) cleaner (integrated) technologies and products which include any action that continuously improves, reduces or eliminates the environmental impact of general technologies and c) resource management, such as renewable energy and water supply.
In Bangladesh, as in any other developing country, faced with the scourge of environmental degradation, we have a lot to learn. We have to seriously face this issue on a bi-partisan basis. There should not be any politics associated in the saving of the environment and the introduction and association of environment friendly technology in our future development efforts.
While absorbing fresh ideas from abroad, we should also try to engage our limited resources in finding appropriate technology which we can introduce in our country. China and Brazil have both made great advances in this regard. They have carefully studied the results in wind powered turbine technology in Denmark. So should we, with regard to our energy needs in the coastal areas. Finland makes excellent eco-industry products related to pulp and paper making technologies. We should progress in our efforts to find alternative uses of jute and bamboo as potential for fine paper pulp.
France leads the way in water treatment services. They are already helping the people of Dhaka in this regard. We need to replicate these efforts elsewhere in the country. There is no reason why the private sector, given the opportunity, cannot step forward as they have done in creating a bottled mineral water industry. This can be an important step. It will ensure a proper utilisation of surface water in arsenic contaminated areas and save lives.
In this context, it would be worthwhile to refer here also to waste management practices. Technologies in this field are relatively simple and cover a broad spectrum of treatment methods -- better collecting devices and vehicles for a more effective recycling of materials like paper, metals and glass; better mechanical separating devices and new large scale technologies for treating organic waste. Together, these simple changes can provide a good basis towards the utilisation of generated waste in a optimal way.
However, one must remember that while embarking on this road, the best way would be the private entrepreneur initiative with cheap credit extension facility. Initially, this will make things cost effective and encourage participation. It is good to introduce natural gas driven vehicles, but the industry within Bangladesh should not have to rely on import. There must be an efficient strategy whereby such requisite engines are available through domestic enterprise. One is sure that if projects were formulated in this regard, donor countries will be agreeable to support such a step. Technology transfer would be consistent with the Doha Development Agenda where stress has been given to the mutual supportiveness of trade and the environment.
mad Zamir is a former Secretary and Ambassador.E-Mail contact point-
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