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mineral resource. They could also field technical assistance and advisory team when a country negotiates with a transnational.
62. Transnationals can have a substantial impact on the environment and resources of other countries and on the global commons. Both the home and host countries of TNCs share responsibilities and should work together to strengthen policies in this sphere. For example. information on policies and standards applied to and followed by corporations when in their own hone country, especially concerning hazardous technologies, should be provided to host countries. Moreover, the policies of some industrialized countries that major investments are subject to prior environmental assessment should be considered for application to investments mad elsewhere and should be broadened to include sustainability criteria. The information and recommendations thus arrived at should be shared with the host countries, which of course would retain the final responsibility.
63. Despite their importance, international measures regarding transnationals have been generally lacking and have proved extremely difficult to negotiate. The codes of conduct for transnational corporations formulated by the OECD and under discussion in the UN should deal explicitly with environmental matters and the objective of sustainable development. More detailed and specific instruments are needed for other problems. In particular, when introducing a new technology, plant, product, or process, or when setting up a Joint venture in a developing country, the parties involved must also recognize and accept certain special responsibilities. (See Chapter 8.)
4. Broadening the Technological Base
64. The promotion of resource productivity is largely the work of domestic economic policy. But the international economy impinges on possibilities for productivity improvement in several ways, particularly in the transfer of technology from one to another.
4.1 The Diffusion of Environmentally Sound Technologies
65. The promotion of sustainable development will require organized effort to develop and diffuse new technologies, such as for agricultural production, renewable energy systems, and pollution control. Much of this effort will be based on international exchange of technology: through trade in improved equipment. technology-transfer agreements, provision of experts, Research collaboration, and so on. Hence he procedures and policies that influence these exchanges must stimulate innovation and ensure ready and widespread access to environmentally sound technologies.
66. The real challenge is to ensure that the new technologies reach all those who need them. overcoming such problems as the lack of information and in some cases an inability to pay for commercially developed technologies. The measures required at the national level to deal with these problems are discussed in
