Reflections on Business Strategies for Environmental Innovation and Technology in Asia

April 6, 2006

Recently, Kevin Haroff, a partner in Sonnenschein’s Environmental and Energy Law Practice, was a panelist at Harvard Business School’s 2006 Asia Business conference, speaking on current regulatory issues affecting environmental and technological innovation in Asia.  The panel, which included senior executives from Toyota, General Electric and Emergent Genetics (now part of Monsanto) addressed the challenges and the opportunities presented by rapid economic development in Asia in both the environmental and energy sectors.

China, in particular, is viewed by some as a laboratory for the development of strategies for sustainable economic development.  Economic growth has placed tremendous strains on natural resources and the environment in China.  That is why Chinese President Hu Jintao recently asked Asia-Pacific business leaders to help create resource-conserving “circular” economies that allow both growth and environmental stability.  At the Asia Business conference, a number of strategies were identified to help achieve that goal, including new laws encouraging Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and mandating increased reliance on renewable energy, use of genetically-modified and disease resistant agricultural seeds and greater application of new hybrid vehicle technologies. 

Understanding the legal and cultural framework supporting sustainable development initiatives is critical to the success of companies seeking opportunities to pursue these strategies.  For more information on regulatory aspects of business strategies for environmental innovation and technology in Asia, please contact Kevin Haroff at (415) 882-5000 or kharoff@sonnenschein.com.