Overview of the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund

Objective

To contribute to promotion of environmental policy through research and technical development

The aim of the Environment Research and Technology Development Fund (ERTDF) is to collect scientific knowledge and accelerate technological development as necessary to promote policies such as global warming prevention, establishment of a sound material-cycle society and establishment of a society in harmony with nature, while ensuring security and safety through environmental risk management. The fund promotes research and development in the area of environmental issues overall.

Features

Adoption and execution of research proposals which meet administrative needs in accordance with environmental policies

The ERTDF is a policy-oriented, competitive research fund. It calls for proposals from industry, academia and government institutes. Proposals are expected to meet administrative needs, and are competitively examined and selected by the committee and appropriate subcommittees.
The ERTDF strongly promotes research and development in accordance with strategic administrative needs. For example, the "Strategic Research and Development Area" consists of competition among research teams based on an outline for selecting research themes and project leaders established by the Ministry of the Environment.

Ensuring a transparent and fair evaluation process by using committees composed of outside specialists

The ERTDF comprises a committee and several subcommittees consisting of outside specialists. The committee is responsible for selection of proposals, intermediate evaluation and ex-post evaluation. Proposals are examined and selected by the committee and appropriate subcommittees in terms of the necessity and effectiveness of the research, and efficient use of funds.
To ensure transparent, fair and efficient fund management, the Ministry of the Environment refers to evaluation results to decide which research projects to adopt for allocating its research budget in order to support appropriate progress in those research projects.