Technology Transfer Activities under the UNFCCC

byMs. Christine Zumkeller

Technology Transfer in the Context of the UNFCCC

“Achieving the ultimate objective of the UNFCCC, as formulated in Article 2, will require technological innovation and the rapid widespread transfer and implementation of technologies, including know-how…”

IPCC special report on methodological and

technological issues in technology transfer

Article 4.5:

“The developed countries and other developed countries in Annex II shall take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, the transfer of or access to environmentally sound technologies and know how to other Parties, particularly developing country Parties, to enable them to implement the provisions of the Convention.”…...

Relevant provision of the UNFCCC

Technology Transfer Framework

• COP7 adopted a framework for meaningful and effective actions to enhance the implementation of Article 4.5 of the Convention

• The framework contained five key activities: technology needs assessments, technology information, enabling environments, capacity building, and mechanisms for technology transfer)

The Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT)

• The EGTT was established as part of the technology transfer framework and the Marrakech Accords

• The EGTT comprises 20 members ( three from each of the Africa, Asia and the Pacific and the Latin America and the Caribbean regions, one from AOSIS, seven from AI Parties, and three from IGOs (to be invited on issues oriented basis)

Ongoing Activities (I)

TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ASSESSMENTS

Over 80 countries are undertaking technology needs assessments;

Funding are provided under the top-up of the enabling activities;

About 20 countries so far completed their assessments.

Ongoing Activities (II)

TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION

The Convention secretariat has designed and developed a web-based technology transfer information system/clearing house (TT:CLEAR);

Complements and works with existing web sites and clearing houses of other relevant international organizations and national/regional technology information centres;

Ongoing Activities (III)

TT:CLEAR has the potential to act as a gateway for fast access to up-to-date information on the latest technology transfer projects and case studies of successful technology transfer, environmentally sound technologies and know-how;

TT:CLEAR (http://ttclear.unfccc.int)

• Includes an innovative

search engine

Contents of TT:CLEAR

Inventory of technology cooperation projects; The inventory contains at present some 1,650

projects and programmes; Over 40 case studies and/or success stories on

technology transfer; 600 links to relevant web sites, including national

web sites as provided by Parties in their submissions;

TT:CLEAR

An inventory of methods, models and tools covering different aspects of mitigation of and adaptation to climate change;

A database of organizations and experts involved in the development and transfer of technologies;

Preliminary databases of mitigation and adaptation technologies.

On the road to SB22, COP11 and beyond• COP10 encouraged the secretariat to continue its

work on a pilot project on networking between TT:CLEAR and national and regional technology information centres and to report on the outcomes to SBSTA 23 (November 2005);

• A technical paper on innovation options for financing the development and transfer of technologies to be prepared by the secretariat for consideration by SBSTA23;

On the road to SB22, COP11 and beyond• A synthesis report of TNAs to be prepared by the

secretariat for consideration by SBSTA 24 (May 2006);

• COP10 requested EGTT to make recommendations for enhancing implementation of technology transfer framework (decision 4/CP.7) based on the TOR for these recommendations to be agreed upon by SBSTA 22;

• EGTT to be reviewed at COP12.

Next Steps : EGTT WP2005• Seminar on technologies for adaptation to climate

change to be held in Tobago in June 2005;• A Technical paper on applications of technologies

for adaptation to climate change for consideration at SBSTA 24 (May 2006)

• Follow-up workshop on innovative options for financing the development and transfer of technologies to be held in September 2005;

Next Steps : EGTT• A practitioner’s guide to assist project developers

in developing countries and relevant stakeholders in preparing project proposals that will meet international standards to be completed in 2006;

Issues for Reflections• Roles and potential of technologies for enhancing

implementation of Parties’ commitments under the Convention and Kyoto Protocol;

• Role of private sector (industry and financial communities);

• Future roles of the EGTT;• Means to implement the results of technology

needs assessments (GEF, private sector investment and CDM).