In that regard, this information note highlights the most salient proposals for action on technology transfer and innovation in country submissions to the Rio+20 process. Identifying key priority areas in proposals - namely mechanisms, innovation, enabling environments, capacity building, intellectual property and financing - could potentially contribute towards a tangible outcome at Rio.

Ultimately, Rio+20 should seize the opportunity to send a strong signal about the importance of innovation and technology transfer in accelerating sustainable development and transitioning to a green economy.

Since then, five LDCs - Sierra Leone, Uganda, Rwanda, Bangladesh and Tanzania- have submitted their IP needs assessments to the WTO TRIPS Council.

This Information Note sheds light on the work carried out by ICTSD in this area and points to a number of lessons learned that could be useful for the Aid for Trade Review.

However, the Mechanism faces many challenges before it can become operational. For instance, it is not clear how well resourced it will be. In addition, many of its functions need to be further ‘fleshed out’ and a number of institutional issues such as the relationship between its two main components – the Technology Executive Committee and the Climate Technology Centre and Network – still need to be agreed.

The objective of this information note is to shed some light on the main features and functions of the Technology Mechanism and on some of these challenges. We hope you find it a useful contribution to ongoing discussions on the operationalisation of the Technology Mechanism in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

As a result of their increased integration into the world economy, developing countries today are more exposed to the risks associated with external shocks. Indeed, most of them have suffered greatly from the decrease in global demand, the drying up of trade finance and the decline in investment and remittances resulting from the recent financial and economic crisis. While several developing nations have shown early signs of recovery, the crisis may have reversed modest progress towards poverty alleviation. Furthermore, social indicators suggest that natural rates of unemployment are likely to be higher in the future, prompting concerns about possible jobless growth.

With this comparative analysis, based on two detailed ICTSD’s papers on India and South Africa, ICTSD aims to contribute to a knowledge based debate on the impact of trade liberalization and the economic and financial crisis on the trade and labour market sectors.

As a result of their increased integration into the world economy, developing countries today are more exposed to the risks associated with external shocks. Indeed, most of them have suffered greatly from the decrease in global demand, the drying up of trade finance and the decline in investment and remittances resulting from the recent financial and economic crisis. While several developing nations have shown early signs of recovery, the crisis may have reversed modest progress towards poverty alleviation. Furthermore, social indicators suggest that natural rates of unemployment are likely to be higher in the future, prompting concerns about possible jobless growth.

With this comparative analysis, based on two detailed ICTSD’s papers on Chile and Mexico, ICTSD aims to contribute to a knowledge based debate on the impact of trade liberalization and the economic and financial crisis on the trade and labour market sectors.