Initiative on Climate Technology and Trade


Contents

Background

Promoting the rapid generation, introduction, and adoption of climate-friendly technologies is critical to enhancing broader efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

In particular, facilitating the transfer of technologies required for the mitigation and adaptation of climate change by developing countries is considered to be an essential element of an international regime that comprehensively and effectively addresses the climate change challenge.

Article 4.1 (c) of the UNFCCC requires all Parties to, taking into account their common but differentiated responsibilities, promote and cooperate in the transfer of technologies, practices and processes that control, reduce or prevent anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases. Similarly, Article 10 of the Kyoto Protocol states that all Parties must take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, the transfer of environmentally sound technologies, know-how, practices and processes pertinent to climate change, in particular to developing countries.

Technology transfer will also be central in the post-2012 global framework on climate change. As noted in the Bali Action Plan, technology is one of four key issues to be addressed, and countries will need to consider, inter alia, means to provide financial and other incentives for, and to remove obstacles to, scaling up of the transfer of technology to developing country Parties. These discussions will certainly build on the extensive work that the IPCC and the Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT), among other UNFCCC bodies, have done on climate change and technology transfer. Nevertheless, initial discussions on the Bali Action Plan demonstrate the complexity of and significant divergences among Parties on the issue of transfer of technology, as well as on related topics such as intellectual property, trade, capacity-building, and financing.

As discussions on the technology component of the climate regime post-2012 continue, considerable work will thus be required to increase understanding and enhance dialogue on transfer of technology. In particular, further research, analysis, and discussion is needed on the road to Copenhagen on the actual manner in which technology transfer mechanisms may be directed in order to enhance access to climate-related knowledge and technologies. Trade rules and policies are an important consideration in both these areas.

Enhancing technology transfer

The processes through which transfer of technology occurs may vary from market-based transactions and informal transfer to specific initiatives by international or non-profit organizations.  An understanding of existing modalities of technology transfer, as well as the ways in which these modalities may be applied in different policy fora/contexts is thus critical.

Building on the existing knowledge as to the mechanisms of international technology transfer, as well as the potential ways in which to influence such mechanisms, several approaches may be considered in the post-2012 climate regime to promote the dissemination of clean technologies.  Possibilities already being discussed include drawing from a global mechanism that would provide for the cost of technology acquisition. In that respect, the approach followed under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer could provide a model to explore. It may also be necessary to find other incentives for the transfer of appropriate technologies to developing countries. In the climate change context, there is still significant uncertainty as to the manner in which to provide effective mechanisms and incentives for the transfer of clean technologies, as well as the barriers that need to be overcome.

Objectives of the Initiative on Climate Technology and Trade

The Initiative on Climate Technology and Trade is proposed as an informal mechanism to formulate a research agenda, identify gaps and priorities to be addressed and provide a conceptual framework, with a view to:

1. Examining mechanisms of transfer of technology relevant in the climate change context (including by considering approaches that have been successfully applied in other policy fora/contexts),
2. Identifying obstacles and potential points of intervention to promote the transfer of climate-related technology,
3. On the basis of the above, determine concrete measures that could be considered in the UNFCCC context.

Through research and analysis, the initiative could generate solutions-focused and policy-oriented outcomes that can be fed into the work of the relevant bodies dealing with climate change technology within the UNFCCC and other climate change related processes.

This Initiative will add value to already existing mechanisms such as the EGTT in two ways. First, it will bring in perspectives and experiences from a multitude of disciplines beyond climate change, so as to learn from successful experiences and mechanisms for promoting transfer of technology in other policy fora/contexts. Second, it will establish a road map for focused policy oriented research and analysis to be undertaken which can be of direct relevance to the ongoing negotiations and discussions on technology in the climate context, thereby informing policy deliberations with relevant analytical elements.

Composition of the Expert Group under the Climate Technology and Trade Initiative

  • John BARTON, George E. Osborne Professor of Law, Emeritus, Stanford Law School, United States
  • Matthew BATESON, Managing Director Energy & Climate Focus Area, World Business Council on Sustainable Development, Geneva, Switzerland
  • Cynthia CANNADY, Principal Attorney and Founder, IP*SEVA, California, United States
  • Zhou DADI, Founding Director, Beijing Energy Efficiency Center (BECon), Director, China Energy Research Institute, PR China
  • Dominique FORAY, Director of the Chair of Economics and Management of Innovation and Dean of the College of Management of Technology at EPFL, Lausanne University, Switzerland
  • Taka HIRAISHI, Co-Chair, IPCC Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories, Japan
  • Keith MASKUS, Faculty Research Associate, Political and Economic Change Program, Colorado University, United States
  • Lynn Krieger MYTELKA, Distinguished Research Professor at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada
  • Maria NOLAN, Chief Officer, Secretariat of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol
  • Ruth OKEDIJI, William L. Prosser Professor of Law and Solly Robins Distinguished Research Fellow, University of Minnesota Law School, United States
  • Pedro ROFFE, Senior Fellow, ICTSD, Chile
  • Padmashree Gehl SAMPATH, Researcher, Knowledge and industrial dynamics research group, UNU-MERIT, India
  • Dalindyebo SHABALALA, Managing Attorney of CIEL’s Geneva office, and Director of CIEL’s Intellectual Property and Sustainable Development Project
  • Participants in the initiative are involved in their personal capacity and not as representatives of any institution or government.

Ad hoc members of the initiative to facilitate mutually supportive interaction with other technology related processes undertaken in the UNFCCC:

  • Jukka UOSUKAINEN, Director General, Finland Ministry of Environment, Chair of the EGTT
  • William Kojo AGYEMANG-BONSU, National Climate Change Coordinator, Environment Protection Agency, Ghana, Member of the EGTT 

Special Project: UNEP-EPO-ICTSD Joint project on Patents and Environmentally Sound Technologies

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) are jointly collaborating on the development of a study that aims to enhance understanding of the role of patents vis-à-vis access to environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) in particular in the field of energy generation.

This analysis will provide useful input into ongoing discussions on technology transfer in the context of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and result in concrete recommendations for consideration at COP-15 in Copenhagen in December 2009.

Scope of the study

The joint study shall:

  • Provide a time series analysis of patent trends and their implications for access to ESTs in selected technological fields;
  • Develop a methodology for the analysis of the impact of patent trends in the development and dissemination of ESTs;
  • Undertake a survey of licensing practices in relation to ESTs.
  • Feed into ongoing international discussions and initiatives on transfer of ESTs; and

Project PHASES

Phase 1 consists of the mapping of relevant technologies and its validation by relevant lead authors of the Working Group III reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

In Phase 2, the patent landscape will be drawn, based on the mapping study for this particular technology sector. Statistical analysis will be carried out on this data by the OECD Environment Directorate in the context of existing cooperation between the EPO and the OECD in the area of statistics.

Once the patent landscape is established, Phase 3 will look into trends and questions of concentration/diversification of ownership of technologies and their applications, including profiles of possible key ‘receiver’ countries. For this phase, collaboration with relevant industry and business associations has been sought.

Based on the findings, specific policy proposals shall be elaborated to address any identified challenges (Phase 4). Finally, in Phase 5 the results of the study will be disseminated.

For further information:
http://ictsd.net/i/environment/iprs/51361/