Achieving sustainable development goals at a global level will strongly depend on the rapid technological development and innovation, and the widespread diffusion and application, of cleaner technologies in non-OECD as well as OECD countries. But do the developing countries have the capacity and motivation to take advantage of cleaner technology options? What are their needs? And what are the barriers which must be addressed? Arresting the impending environmental imbalances and ecological instability and moving towards sustainable development call for establishing a new multilateral framework for co-operation in environmental science and technology.