As of: 09.03.2009General Information

Waste management know-how, that is a knowledge of how to develop and successfully apply recycling and efficiency technologies "Made in Germany", is abundantly available among scientists and those working in administration, the services industries and the technology sector. Within the context of globalisation, the call for this know-how to be transferred is getting louder. Politics, universities and research institutions, and trade and industry (see also    International Case Studies) in Germany have a key role to play in that. The challenge for the future will be to provide services as efficiently as possible while at the same time taking account of various country-specific conditions.

The type and extent of waste management know-how that needs to be transferred is country-specific, that is situation-dependent and specific to the socio-political context in each country and its sense of identity. National and international developments regarding    standards, for example those initiated in Europe and for which strong impetus has come from Germany, help to raise an awareness for that in emerging economies and developing countries.

Stakeholders and instruments of know how transfer from Germany

Know-how is systematically transferred by way of government measures. The Federal Ministry for Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ), which coordinates its implementing organisations and a large number of initiatives and tools in the field of development cooperation, has a special role to play here. The tasks of these organisations include:

• Implementing financial and technical cooperation projects. Organisations responsible for financial cooperation are KfW Entwicklungsbank (KfW development bank) and the German Investment and Development Company (DEG), a 100 per cent subsidiary of KfW Bankengruppe (KfW banking group). The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), the German agency for technical cooperation, is responsible for    technical cooperation with partner countries.
• Preparing and posting German specialists and development aid workers. The German Development Service (DED) specialises in preparing and posting development aid workers.
• Advanced vocational training of specialists and managers in partner countries. InWEnt Capacity Building International, Germany in particular is responsible for human resources development and further training; the Centre for International Migration and Development (CIM) prepares international specialists for their work in partner countries.

The Federal Ministry of the Environment 's role in transfering waste management specific knowledge

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), together with environmental agencies at federal and federal Länder level, have a special role to play due to their involvement in the EU Twinning Programme. Implementing specialist    twinning projects in the field of waste management provides key support when it comes to legal reforms and establishing administrative structures in Central and Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean region.

Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of the Environment promotes the transfer of know how throuth the flexible kyoto mechanisms CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) and JI (Joint Implementation) with its specially installed    CDM/JI Initiative. The Initiative supports companies and institutions that want to start participating in CDM or JI projects.

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