On December 14-15 in Beijing, the Clean Air Alliance of China (CAAC) hosted the 3^rd Bluetech Conference and Awards with support from the Foreign Economic Cooperation Office, Ministry of Environmental Protection, and other institutions.

Christopher James, principal with RAP’s China program, provided an overview of international experience. Mr. James covered best practices from European and American systems, and how those practices could be applied to improve the Chinese permitting system that is beginning to be deployed. The EU enterprise-wide, multi-media, and multi-pollutant approach offers advantages to China to encourage holistic treatment of environmental discharges and to better integrate clean energy practices. The American system of technology-forcing could help to encourage more rapid deployment of equipment to reduce pollution.

More than 400 participants from technical enterprises, investment companies, and environment agencies attended the meeting. Domestic and international experts shared their experience with clean air technology, markets, policy, and investment.

The Bluetech Award assesses around 200 clean air technologies from16 countries. It uses the CAAC clean air technology assessment methodology to examine real-world results, analyzing environmental benefits, technological performance, and financial viability to find breakthrough potentials that can result in increased and more rapid deployment of technologies that can reduce air pollution. This year, six cutting edge technologies received awards, covering major areas of air quality management.