Transferring Environmental Technologies to China: Recent Developments and Constraints TURLOUGH F. GUERIN ABSTRACT A discussion is presented on the key issues in the transfer of environmental technologies to China and more broadly South East (SE) Asia. It identifies constraints to this technology transfer, and in particular, the paper deals with the mechanisms involved including research and technology development and the major (but poorly documented) role of the private sector. The principle constraints to this technology transfer relate to an understanding of the legal context, limited financing, lax enforcement of intellectual property laws by the Chinese government, and a lack of appreciation of inter-cultural issues by the transferring organization. The purpose of the paper is to provide guidance to environmental technology vendors, and other organizations, primarily from Australia, that intend to engage in technology transfer activities with China.  2001 Elsevier Science Inc. Introduction Many Asian countries enjoyed a high level of economic growth in the late 1980s, with rates of 8–10% per annum. While the standards of living have risen as a result of rapid industrialization, there has been a cost in environmental degradation. Bingham [1] claims that economic losses due to environmental pollution are as high as 6.75% of China’s gross national product (GNP). In comparison, developed countries lose between 3–5% of their GNP due to environmental pollution [1]. In China, agricultural production is the greatest contributor to the country’s wealth. There are, however, major environmental problems arising from soil, water, and air pollution in China. Soil contamination problems have arisen from increased volumes of industrial and domestic wastes and these can impact the quality and quantity of agricultural production. The major pollutants resulting from the above sources are metals and organic compounds. Poor waste management techniques (or the absence thereof) will inevitably lead to environmental problems and subsequent effects on human and environmental health. Pre-industrial societies, often referred to as Lesser Developed Countries (LDCs), typically have poorly managed systems for human and DR. TURLOUGH F. GUERIN is an environmental adviser based in Sydney, Australia. Address correspondence to: Dr. Guerin’s forwarding address is 190 Grabben Gullen Rd, Crookwell, NSW 2583, Australia. E mail: turloughg@hotmail.com Technological Forecasting and Social Change 67, 55–75 (2001)  2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved. 0040-1625/01/$–see front matter 655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010 PII S0040-1625(99)00096-7