The 41st ISTWG meeting held the 2nd APEC Innovation Policy Forum (IPD) in San Francisco, California in September 2011. At the forum, ISTWG members agreed that innovation is a key driver for economic growth, job creation and ensuring overall economic well-being. Private sector representatives encouraged members to be connected to new realities of science and technology and to cooperate more closely with business and academia.

Among ISTWG members, representatives from the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), the OCED and ASEAN also participated in the Forum. The OECD spoke on the role of innovation on green growth and encouraged competition between alternative technologies to bring out best options. The ASEAN representative explained to ISTWG members the ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology and encouraged greater collaboration between the two groups. The ABAC representative explored potential areas for public and private sector collaborations and how to better link ISTWG and ABAC.

Also at the San Francisco meetings, the ISTWG’s four subgroups considered ways to advance their common goals. This included a discussion on the updates on current and upcoming projects.

Subgroup A: Human Resource Development

• 4th APEC Youth Science Festival was hosted by Thailand and held in August 2011 in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. The festival challenged young participants to seek an understanding of the natural environment and apply the knowledge into the design of future technology.
• 2011 APEC R&D (ART) Program was developed by Korea to bridge the gaps in R&D management capabilities by sharing experiences and tacit knowledge, building networks among member economies, and promoting exchange of young scientists and engineers.
• APEC S&T Mentoring Center for the Gifted in Science was developed by Korea to share ideas, experiences and relationships among promising future scientists. It also included organizing mentor-mentee workshops, operating an on-line cyber mentoring system, and supporting an annual forum for the gifted in science within APEC member economies.
• APEC’s Co-incubation Network was developed by China. A workshop that included over 100 participants was held in Xi’an, China to raise awareness of building a co-incubation network.
• Seminar “Development of Engineering Professionals in APEC Economies was presented by Russia Federation. This new project proposal seeks to build up on the capacities of APEC economies on human resources in professionals on engineering.
  
  

Subgroup B: International Science and Technology Network

• Dissemination of Innovative Global Warming Gas (PFC) Abatement Technology for Electronic Industry in APEC (2012-2013) was presented by Chinese Taipei. The project has two stages: the 2011 stage focuses on building up consensus, networking, and identifying standards and regulations; the 2012 stage focuses on building up best practices on innovative technology and developing protocols of PFCs reduction technology in the APEC region.
• Enabling Low Carbon Production in the Textile Industry in APEC Economies was presented by Chinese Taipei. The project seeks to share most recent advances on carbon footprint analytical and measurement methods and examine greenhouse gas (GHS) emissions through material processing, manufacture, and waste treatment procedures. This is to explore the optimal solution of low carbon textile development. It also aims to enhance the flow of information among APEC member economics regarding low carbon processing procedures.
• Marine Oil Spills: Monitoring, Risk Diminishing and Aftermath's Migration was presented by Russia. The project seeks to exchange national experiences in R&D in fighting oil spills and its aftermath. It also aims to bring together academics, industries, governments in research through a seminar.

Subgroup C: Connecting Research and Innovations

• Harnessing and Using Climate Information for Decision Making was presented by Korea. The project seeks to address knowledge and technical capacity gaps among climate information producers and users in APEC economies. It also seeks to forge strong linkages and networks among producers and users of climate information at the local and regional levels, particularly in water, agriculture and energy sectors.
• APEC Network Building - Applied Space Technology Centers was presented by Russia. The project seeks to build networks between Applied Space Technology Centers in APEC economies and to transform successful pilot initiatives of satellite remote monitoring into steady work.
• APEC Industrial Science and Technology Internationalization Database that was developed by Japan have grown from its inception in 1999. It contains key statistics, a directory service and science and technology statistics of all 21 APEC member economies.
• Advancing Biotechnology and Ensuring Sustainable Financing was developed by Korea. The project seeks to identify opportunities and challenges in biotechnology. It will also explore strategic partnership with industry and capital and assess life science development in the Asia-Pacific region.
• APEC Research Network for Advanced Biohydrogen Technology was led by Chinese Taipei. The project seeks to develop advanced biohydrogen technology by creating a platform for experts in APEC economies to connect in a collaborative research network.
• Disaster Reduction Hyperbase Asian Application was developed by Japan. This project aims to disseminate appropriate disaster risk reduction technology and knowledge to APEC economies. It also aims to encourage multi-hazard disaster reduction and aid disaster reduction policy in interactive ways from both developing and industrialized economies.
• Green Energy Demonstration System of Biological Technology for APEC was developed by Chinese Taipei. This project seeks a system for fixation of C02 by using a biological technology and building a scientific research network. It also seeks to develop green energy technologies and to organize a platform for all bio-energy technology experts. This project will strengthen the promotion of green growth.
• APEC Forum on Harmonized Recycling System of Electronic Industry was developed by Chinese Taipei. The project seeks to implement a recycling system for improving the refurbishment and reuse of electronic devices and to identify project opportunities for future collaboration among APEC economies on recycling.

Subgroup D: Technological Cooperation and Strategic Planning

• APEC Virtual Center for Environmental Technology Exchange was promoted by Japan. This project has 15 years of experience creating an international information network in the field of environment and energy conservation across the Pacific Rim. This project also sets the common classification system and develops a common search engine that promotes the exchange among Virtual Centers.
• Cooperative Study on Efficient Renewable Resources Integration and Distribution Technologies for Smart Grid Construction was submitted by China. The project was inspired by the guidelines of capacity building of developing economies and includes a joint seminar (Parallel session with the training), in which participating experts could exchange ideas and concepts on smart grid implementation.
• APEC Symposium on Low-Carbon Technology and Industrial Cooperation was developed by China. The project seeks to reach a common understanding on joint development of low-carbon technology through industrial technical cooperation. It also seeks to build a technology transfer platform to facilitate low-carbon technical cooperation and develop an adaptable “low-carbon practice” which will benefit APEC economies.
• APEC Research Center for Typhoon and Society was developed jointly by Chinese Taipei and the Philippines. The project seeks to promote scientific research on typhoons; initiate research on the socio-economic impacts of typhoons to reduce the damages; establish a platform facilitating data exchange with comprehensive data and scientific findings; and build capacity and research interactions and cooperation through regular symposiums, workshops and publications.
• APEC Climate Center for Climate Information Services to Society is being developed by Korea through the APEC Climate Center. It is informed by the outcomes of the APEC Climate Symposium 2010 which includes leveling of climate prediction science and technologies used in different APEC economies; survey on using climate information for disaster preparedness; stocktake of climate information and communication among APEC economies; and sharing of economies’ experiences in using climate information for disaster preparedness.
• APEC Center for Technology Foresight was submitted by Thailand. The project seeks to inform regional and domestic government policy on low carbon technology, nanotechnology, and forensic science.

The 42nd ISTWG meeting will be held in Russia in 2012.