Best Available techniques (BAT) have emerged as a key policy tool for setting emission limit values and other permit conditions to prevent and control industrial emissions, and thus ensure a high level of human health and environmental protection. This report provides an overview of policies and practices embodying BAT or similar concepts to prevent and control industrial emissions to air, water and soil in OECD members (the United States, the European Union, Japan and New Zealand) and partners (India, the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation). For each country, the overview includes information on the BAT-based policy instruments in place, how they are embedded into national legislation, the pollutants, sectors and activities to which they apply, their date of entry into force, timing for implementation and requirements linked to the use of BAT or similar concepts. This is the first in a series of reports developed as part of the OECD’s BAT project.