According to Leasburg, these activities are implemented with the participation of a wide spectrum of partners--Asian and American individuals, nonprofit organisations, private businesses and government agencies.

US-AEP stimulates direct technology transfer; develops networks and long-term relationships; disseminates information; identifies financial assistance vehicles; provides grants and fellowships and organises business and technology exchanges. In addition, US-AEP environmental technology representatives, their local market experts, are located in 10 Asian economies including India to facilitate programme activities.

"US-AEP's mission is to promote a `clean revolution', by which we mean the continuing development and adoption of ever less-polluting and more resource-efficient products, processes and services," says Leasburg.

US-AEP's CTEM (clean technology and environment management) component supports market pressures and private initiatives that promote industrialenvironmental performance. It works in areas such as ISO 14000 and Environmental Management Systems, Voluntary Business Standards, Greening the Supply Chain, Environmental Due Diligence and Industrial Extensions for the Environment.

In the US, US-AEP works through the Environmental Technology Network for Asia (ETNA), a US government-sponsored clearing house that collects environmental trade leads from the Asia-Pacific region and disseminates them to US environmental technology and services firms. US-AEP has also placed environmental technology representatives in the four Indian metros in cooperation with the US Department of Commerce to identify trade opportunities for US companies and coordinate meetings between potential Asian and US business partners.

These `tech reps' are trained environmental specialists who are available to provide information on US companies and technologies, coordinate meetings between potential Indian and American business partners and answer questions about any of US-AEP'sservices.

For US businesses, the tech reps identify market opportunities, assist in making key contacts and advocate US environmental technology and services to Indian buyers.

The tech reps meet regularly with decision-makers in industry and government in order to prepare concise trade leads that identify Asian buyers, environmental concerns and proposed technology solutions.

These leads are forwarded to ETNA, where they are matched against a database of over 2,400 registered US companies and then faxed to those companies that provide the requested technology or service. ETNA also provides business counseling to US environmental companies interested in expanding into India and provides market trend analysis on each providing country.

US-AEP also has an Environmental Technology Fund, which provides grants to US companies to facilitate transfer of environmentally responsible and energy-efficient technologies to the country. This fund is a joint initiative between US-AEP and and the National Associationof State Development Agencies (NASDA).

American companies that need resources to assist in technology transfer to selected countries are eligible to receive technology fund grants up to a maximum of $20,000. Grants match from 20 to 50 per cent of total project costs and may be used to fund projects in India. Activities that are eligible for a grant include engineering and technology workshops or seminars, business development missions and technology and equipment demonstrations.

Says Leasburg, "We also play a role in proving training in environmentally sensitive areas." According to her, this is done through the Environmental Exchange Program (EEP), which is administered for US-AEP by the Institute of International Education (IIE). EEP exchanges include environmental business exchanges, technical exchanges and non-academic fellowships.

US-AEP also facilitates professional business exchanges, which may involve a single individual or a study tour of 10-20 people. These exchanges provide Indianparticipants with opportunities to confer with government and industry authorities, identify sources for United States technology, observe and evaluate facilities and technologies first-hand for their suitability and meet face-to-face with potential partners.