The global market for environmental technologies goods and services reached $1.12 trillion in 2017. The
United States hosts the single largest market, accounting for approximately a quarter of the global
market. The U.S. industry is a global leader in the sector, yielding $342.2 billion of revenue in 2017. U.S.
environmental companies exported $47.8 billion worth of goods and services and maintained a trade
surplus of $26.9 billion in 2015 (the most recent year data were available). The U.S. industry for
environmental technologies employs approximately 1.6 million people. [1]
The 1992 Amendments to the Export Enhancement Act (the Statute) declares that it is U.S. policy to
foster the export of U.S. environmental technologies goods and services. To support this policy, the
Statute mandates the creation of the Environmental Technologies Working Group (ETWG), an
interagency subcommittee of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC). The ETWG’sgoal
isto address all issues with respect to the export promotion and export financing of U.S. environmental
technologies, goods, and services, and to develop a strategy for expanding such items. Under the
Statute, the Secretary of Commerce also must publicize information on existing and emerging markets
and market trends to address issues and develop strategies related to environmental technologies
goods and services, as well as a description of the export promotion programs agencies in the ETWG to
develop in support of the ETWG’s goals.
The U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) co-chair the ETWG. The interagency collaboration under the
ETWG leverages the U.S. EPA’s experience in addressing challenging environmental problems with the
ITA and other TPCC agencies’ trade policy, promotion, and finance capabilities.
To achieve the goals for the ETWG within the context of finite government resources, the interagency
team has targeted trade policy and promotion programs that enhance the international competitiveness
of the U.S. environmental technologies industry. In so doing, the ETWG seeks to help mitigate global
pollution problems, striking a balance between energy and industrial development and maintaining
clean water, air, and soil. Specific activities include the dissemination of U.S. technical knowledge and
expertise to foreign environmental regulatory organizations, the identification and removal of trade
barriers, and the provision of targeted industry-specific export promotion services to U.S. companies.
