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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2010.02.032 Byline: Rene Van Berkel Abstract: Since 1994 UNIDO and UNEP cooperate in a Programme to establish National Cleaner Production Centres (NCPCs) as a mechanism for delivery of Cleaner Production (CP) services to businesses, governments and other organisations. In 2007, 38 NCPCs were operational in 37 developing and transition countries. While initially set up in near-identical ways in each country, over time NCPCs evolved in response to both programme-internal and country-level factors. The resulting diversity among NCPCs is described and analysed here. Differentiation and specialisation had occurred in service areas or topics both within and between NCPCs, however without a clear strategy for integration and synergy. NCPCs were becoming part of expanding networks of business services providers nationally forcing some to focus on audit and training services (tier 1), and others on specialist services in CP technology and/or policy (tier 2) and/or networking services (tier 3). All NCPCs were on a trajectory from a project management organisation to a nationally-owned entity. The different management requirements were not proactively managed and technical aspects of CP service delivery overshadowed institutional and governance aspects of establishing and operating the NCPC institution. Differences in service delivery methods between NCPCs are most evident in three service areas: CP assessments; policy advice; and transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies. It is argued here that understanding root causes and benefits of this presently-observed differentiation, could lay the foundation for capturing and advancing best practice CP concepts, methods and policies. This in turn would enable strategic planning for customised interventions and support at the national level. Author Affiliation: United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, PO Box 300, A1400 Vienna, Austria Article History: Received 29 August 2009; Revised 13 February 2010; Accepted 23 February 2010

Cleaner Production is a generally applicable preventive environmental management strategy for industrial operations. Numerous companies have benefited from Cleaner Production: its application is most often cost-effective and leads to profitable innovations in processes, products and services. This article reviews the development status of Cleaner Production practices and policies in Australia. Comparisons are made with experience abroad - mainly from Europe and USA - in order to draw lessons and assess outstanding Cleaner Production opportunities in Australia. The experience with the implementation of Cleaner Production in Australia turns out to be positive. Substantial reductions of different environmental impacts have been achieved in at least several dozens of companies representing key sectors of Australia's economy. And the implementation of the Cleaner Production projects made good business sense for those companies. It is, however, argued that most of what has been achieved should be regarded as incremental improvement rather than revolutionary change or innovation. Because of this incremental approach, Cleaner Production runs the risk of being underused, missing opportunities for technology innovation - and commercial success. Australia can take a quantum leap forward in the next couple of years, provided the dominant marketing strategy for the promotion of Cleaner Production is sharpened. It will also need to be supplemented with a technology-forcing strategy to foster the development and implementation of innovative Cleaner Production technologies and practices.

The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is the operational arm of the Technology Mechanism established by Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The CTCN works to reduce the risks and costs of technology development and transfer by assisting developing countries make better informed decisions about mitigation and adaptation technologies. In the process of establishing the CTCN, a widespread stakeholders consultation was undertaken with a twofold objective, namely to (1) disseminate information with regard to the CTCN and the services it is mandated to deliver and to (2) seek stakeholders views and expectations. Those consultations were conducted as semi-structured dialogues where regional experts expressed their views on barriers, needs and priorities and on how the CTCN can best support countries in the respective regions. The experts invited to the workshops included a wide spectrum of stakeholder types with the objective to capture a broad range of perspectives. This paper distils the essence of the deliberations and reports on the outcomes of those consultations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Colocated firms can achieve environmental benefit and competitive advantage from exchanging physical resources (known as industrial symbiosis) with each other or with residential areas (referenced here as urban symbiosis). Past research illustrated that economic and environmental benefits appear self- evident, although detailed quantification has only been attempted of symbioses for energy and water utilities. This article provides a complimentary case study for Kawasaki, Japan. The 14 documented symbioses connect steel, cement, chemical, and paper firms and their spin-off recycling businesses. Seven key material exchanges divert annually at least 565 000 tons of waste from incineration or landfill. Four of these collectively present an estimated economic opportunity of 13.3 billion JPY (∼130 million USD) annually. Five symbioses involve utilization of byproduct and two sharing of utilities. The others are traditional or new recycling industries that do not specifically benefit from geographic proximity. The synergistic effect of urban and industrial symbiosis is unique. The legislative framework for a recycling-oriented society has contributed to realization of the symbioses, as has the availability of government subsidies through the Eco-Town program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]