U.S. Government Agencies

United States government agencies and departments actively support programs to help environmental firms compete and expand in Asia and the Pacific.

United States Agency for International Development (USAID)

USAID offers loans and grants on concessional terms to less developed countries to further development plans in eligible recipient countries. A variety of USAID programs help U.S. firms take advantage of international environmental market opportunities. Led by USAID, the United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) seeks to address Asia's environmental problems through U.S. experience, technology, and practice. Private sector involvement is key to this initiative. US-AEP coordinates the efforts of 25 U.S. government departments and agencies and thousands of businesses, and nongovernmental organizations. Through US-AEP, companies can obtain feasibility and pre-feasibility project assistance, information on environmental market opportunities, and access to various grant and exchange programs. Firms can also receive training for employees and foreign customers.

Department of Commerce (DOC)

DOC encourages, serves, and promotes the nation's international trade, economic growth, and technical advancement. The International Trade Administration (ITA) is DOC's division charged with foreign commercial operations. ITA provides extensive assistance to help U.S. companies secure environmental market opportunities. The Commercial Service trade specialists, located at U.S. embassies, Washington, DC headquarters, and district offices throughout the country, provide a wide range of services to U.S. exporters. DOC assistance in targeting environmental markets includes industry and foreign market information, trade leads, technical information on export licenses and international standards, trade show and mission support, export counseling, and other business advisory services.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA's primary goal is to mitigate the adverse impacts of pollution on human health and the environment. EPA also helps U.S. firms take advantage of international environmental market opportunities. The Pollution Prevention Information Exchange (PIES) is an international forum of industry, government, and public interest groups. EPA disseminates key information on vendors, implementation of environmental regulations, regional environmental initiatives, and sound governmental technologies through its extensive collection of manuals, directories, clearinghouses, and databases.

Export-Import Bank (Eximbank)

To facilitate exports, Eximbank offers financing support to foreign buyers of U.S. goods and services. Eximbank's loan guarantee and insurance programs help U.S. exporters compete in overseas environmental markets. Eximbank also holds regular seminars and group briefings on international finance and the organization's assistance programs.

Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)

OPIC encourages and assists U.S. private investment in eligible developing countries. It finances investments through direct loans and loan guarantees, provides political risk insurance, and offers investor advisory services. These programs, which must involve U.S. investment, are available for new environmental projects or expansion of existing facilities.

Small Business Administration (SBA)

SBA offers financial assistance, counselling, export workshops, and training for U.S. exporters. SBA helps firms enter international environmental markets by providing loans and loan guarantees for equipment, facilities, materials, working capital, and business development support for selected export market development activities. International trade officers located in districts throughout the United States can refer small businesses to SBA, state, and federal resources.

Trade and Development Agency (TDA)

TDA provides funding for pre-export studies and planning conducted by U.S. firms for major industrial, municipal, energy, and infrastructure projects. TDA supports U.S. environmental firms, through feasibility studies, orientation visits and reverse trade missions, technical symposia, training, and procurement information on major projects in developing and middle-income countries.

United States-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP)

US-AEP brings together the activities and resources of government, industry, and nongovernmental institutions. US-AEP offers exporters of environmental technology access to Asian market resources, such as trade leads, grants, exchanges and fellowships, market research, and business counseling services.

State Development Agencies

In addition to assistance provided by federal agencies and multilateral organizations, state governments also help U.S. firms target environmental markets. Services range from trade mission support to financing. Please refer to the section of this guide that lists the state export promotion agencies and departments.

Multilateral Organizations

By providing financing and technical assistance, multilateral institutions help U.S. companies realize environmental market opportunities in the Asia/Pacific region. Generally, this funding assistance is provided on a concessional basis directly to the developing country.

The World Bank Group

The World Bank Group comprises five organizations -- the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

IBRD, founded in 1944, is the Group's main lending institution for developing countries with relatively high per capita incomes. Loaned funds are used to pay for development projects, such as building highways, schools, and hospitals, and for programs to help governments change the way they manage their economies.

IDA, established in 1960, provides assistance on concessional terms to the poorest developing countries (those that cannot borrow from IBRD). IDA loans, known as credits, are provided to countries with annual per capita incomes of $800 or less.

IFC, established in 1956, works to help strengthen the private sector in developing countries. IFC lends directly to the private sector and provides long-term loans, equity investments, guarantees, risk management, "stand-by" financing, and "quasi-equity instruments," such as subordinated loans, preferred stock, and income notes.

ICSID, founded in 1966, promotes the increased flow of international investment by providing facilities for the conciliation and arbitration of disputes between governments and foreign investors. ICSID also provides advice, carries out research, and produces various publications in the area of foreign investment law.

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

ADB is comprised of 56 member countries and provides loans and equity investments for the economic and social advancement of its member nations. Many member countries have business development offices in the United States. Governments in Asia, realizing the magnitude of environmental challenges with which they are faced, are taking steps to address these issues. Often, the U.S. representative will have information on specific environmental needs and programs.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

UNDP, based in New York, provides grants, technical assistance, and advice for projects in most developing countries. UNDP partners with the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme to target projects for environmental development. To promote joint ventures between the private sector and governments to address key urban environmental problems in developing countries,

UNDP initiated the Public-Private Partnerships for the Urban Environment program in 1995.

Other Organizations

Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and trade associations increasingly offer international trade-related research and advocacy. Some NGOs manage major international environmental programs, and selected trade associations have cooperative agreements with federal agencies to provide trade-support services.

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