Introduction to UNFCCC Climate Change Negotiations –Research, technology Development and Transfer

1. Introduction to UNFCCC Climate Change Negotiations –Research, technology Development and Transfer Ivo Besselink 18 August 2010

2. Definition of technology transfer 1 Source: “Preparing and presenting proposals, A guidebook on preparing technology transfer projects for financing”, UNFCCC (2006 Slightly different views on what technology transfer is. Technology transfer 1: technology transfer assumes the broad definition implicit in the Framework Convention’s article 4, paragraph 5 (hardware and know-how), and the more traditional definition that technology embodies “the entire body of methods and materials available to fashion a desired result”. For example, under this broad definition, even the transfer of a single line of legal text from one country’s legislation to that of another might effect the freer movement of environmentally sound products into that second country. In that case, the single line of legal text constitutes a “technology” that was “transferred”. Both for adaptation and mitigation

3. Technology stages (mitigation) GEF CDM

4. What we know Stages of technology options: Research, development & demonstration / deployment / transfer • Investments in clean energy are growing fast, including new financial products & markets • Substantial financing gap for the required scaling up • Private sector incentives must be reinforced • Most favoured technologies in recent years: wind, solar, biofuels (renewables increasingly relevant) • Carbon markets (including CDM) can play important role for developing countries • Smaller & lower-income countries still to see benefits

5. Examples of technologies (mitigation)

6. Global mitigation cost curves

7. Barriers for technology transfer • According to WBCST: TNAs identified economic and market barriers as the greatest obstacles to technology transfer. Barriers to technology transfer Source: UNFCCC (2006)

8. Evolution of international negotiations • Developed countries required to enable transfer of technologies to developing countries • Environmentally sound-technologies • Suited to local conditions • Dissemination of technology information & networking • Strengthened research & capacity building • Identified as key modality for mitigation & adaptation • Kyoto Protocol: also emphasizes need for financial resources, CDM

9. Key issues under the Bali Action Plan • Removal of barriers to promoting technology transfer including: • Financing • Intellectual property rights • Tariffs & non-tariffs • Capacity • Ways to accelerate deployment, diffusion & transfer of technologies • Co-operation on research & development • Effectiveness of tools & mechanisms for technology co-operation

10. Areas of agreement • Creation of new Technology Mechanism under UNFCCC with: 1) Executive Committee, 2) Technology Centre, and 3) global Technology Network • Executive Committee: • likely to replace Expert Group on Technology Transfer • oversight/monitoring role of technology transfers • Technology Centre: • South-South collaboration on Technology Action Plans • operational guidance to Network • matching entity between developing countries and network • Network: • collection of private sector, multilaterals, NGOs, academic and R&D institutions that can provide transfer, development and deployment of technology in developing countries

11. Knowledge platform • http://www.undpcc.org/ • Key features: • Negotiations news: regular updates on progress • Calendar of climate-related events • Public country page & private country group • Publications database: more than 800 documents on climate change • Sign up as member to receive “What’s New” blogs

12. Searchable database features more than 1100 documents The library – search for documents and submit your documents You can search after title, author, year, keywords…

13. Thank you!