Like me, you may have heard the term “Environmental Technology Verification (ETV)” toss around in conversations about sustainability and innovation. But what does it mean, and why should you care? Let’s dissect it in an accessible way — because honestly, the world of environmental tech can be daunting.

Environmental Technology Verification: what is it?

Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) is an independent performance assessment of new environmental technologies. Consider it a seal of approval that says, “Yes, this tech really does what it’s supposed to.” It is meant to instill confidence in the environmental rhetoric of manufacturers for everyone from businesses to governments to everyday consumers.

For example, pretend that a company researches and develops a new water filtration system that claims to remove 99% of microplastics. Sounds amazing, right? But how can you tell it’s not just marketing hype? That’s where ETV comes in. It puts the technology through rigorous tests and evaluations to confirm its performance, so you can be confident that it lives up to its claims.

The Importance of ETV in this Day & Age

So you may be asking yourself, “What is ETV or why do we need something like that?” Well, there’s a catch: the environmental tech market is exploding. New innovations are emerging all around, from renewables to waste management systems. But not all of them deliver on their promises. In the absence of a good verification system, greenwashing — false environmental claims — can take hold all too easily.

ETV goes through the noise to help you decipher the events. It guarantees that the technologies we support actually work — and it’s important if we are serious about addressing critical environmental challenges such as climate change, pollution, and natural resource depletion. Also, it gives innovators a competitive edge by validating their tech’s credibility.

How Does ETV Work?

The ETV process generally consists of the following steps:

Application: A technology developer applies for verification of their product.

Testing: Independent specialists perform extensive testing to assess the technology’s performance.

7 Verification: Tech that meets the status claimed gets an ETV certificate.

Reporting: The results are published, providing prospective buyers or investors transparency.

It’s an exhaustive process, but that’s part of its value. You are not simply taking someone’s word for it — you’re receiving evidence of something for which you can go back and check.

Real-World Impact of ETV

Let me share a quick story. Where I started a few years ago I discovered a start-up who made an air purification system for cities. They said it could cut air pollution by 50 percent in high-traffic areas. Curious but skeptical, I researched further and learned their tech had been subjected to ETV. That validation gave me — and thousands of others — the confidence to back their project. One of their systems is now installed in several cities, actively improving air quality.

ETV is doing something to effectuate real change. With such verification of technologies, we can scale up the deployment of solutions that actually work, benefiting communities and our planet.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Education and Training Unit [FHE] and the Technical University of the North [UTN] in relation to ETV.

If you’re the kind of person who cares about sustainability — if you’re a business owner, for example, or a policymaker, or just a concerned citizen — then what you see above is something you should keep on your radar. It’s a resource that helps you opt into the technologies you want to support, and opt out of those you don’t. And with environmental challenges multiplying in the world, it’s more important than ever.

So, next time you hear about a whispered-about environmental innovation, ask yourself: “Is this verified?” Because when it comes to saving the planet, we can’t risk take risk.

Environmental Technology Verification can sound very technical, but it is essentially a matter of trust and accountability. And in the world today, that’s something we could all use a little more of.