917 



32 



With respect to informatics , UNESCO-related activities should be 

 concentrated in work pertaining to training and much more limited 

 advisory services for the development of strategies and definition of 

 acquisition needs. A number of options are available to forward these 

 latter interests outside UNESCO. 



The UNESCO-sponsored activities in the area of applied microbiology 

 and biotechnology are of particular quality — they are cost-effective 

 and worthy of encouragement. It is recommended that serious attention 

 be given to supporting the further development and strengthening of 

 Microbiological Resources Centers (MIRCENs) * and their interactions in 

 support of global and particularly of developing country interests. 

 A modest increase in support of this work is proposed. 



The renewable energy program should be examined in light of the 

 suitability of other intergovernmental agencies concerned with energy 

 R&D, as well as in the light of leadership that could be provided by 

 U.S. institutions. It is proposed that modest support be provided for 

 renewable energy activities through other multilateral institutions or 

 through U.S. nationally managed programs designed to meet the needs of 

 developing countries. 



In the short term, the impact on U.S. interests of a U.S. with- 

 drawal from UNESCO in these areas would be minimal — it is likely that 

 U.S. scientists and engineers would continue to be invited on a per- 

 sonal basis to participate in activities pertaining to these three 

 fields, particularly informatics and microbiology. In the long term, 

 both U.S. interests and UNESCO capabilities would be harmed—the United 

 States from diminished access to the global microbiological community, 

 UNESCO programs from the loss of the considerable U.S. technological 

 "know how" that has been developed in these three areas of concern. 



Alternatives 



In proposing alternatives, the considerations are different in each 

 of the three areas. With respect to informatics, support is suggested 

 to U.S. institutions via NSF ($500,000). In the microbiology area, 

 support is also proposed to U.S. institutions via NSF ($125,000) in 

 combination with direct support to MIRCENs via Funds-in-Trust 

 ($125,000) . Support of work on renewable energy sources could be 

 provided directly to other UN agencies such as UNDP or UNIDO ($250,000). 

 The total proposed level of support for all three areas is $1 million 

 per year. 



Another option is to provide support of informatics via Funds-in- 

 Trust; MIRCENS via ICSU or ICRO and U.S. institutions; and renewable 

 energy via U.S. institutions. 



•There are centers throughout the world; three are in the United States. 



