US$23 million pledged to support technology transfer to address climate change in developing countries
US$23 million pledged to support technology transfer to address climate change in developing countries
Source : UNIDO
16-Nov-2016
Canada, Denmark, the European Union, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Switzerland and the United States announced over US$23 million to provide a major scale-up of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)’s Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN) as it delivers tailored capacity building and technical assistance at the request of developing countries across a broad range of mitigation and adaptation technology and policy sectors. As the implementation arm of the Technology Mechanism, the CTCN is a key institution to help nations realize their commitments under the Paris Agreement.
As countries around the world seek to meet their mitigation and adaptation goals, the CTCN has harnessed expertise from an expanding global network of over 230 technology institutions, from finance, NGO, private, and research sectors, to provide expert policy and technology support to developing country stakeholders, coordinated by nationally-selected focal points (National Designated Entities, or NDEs).
The CTCN has already received 160 requests for assistance from countries. Support ranges from providing capacity building support for national energy efficiency policies in Colombia, technical assistance for design and financing of crop drying and storage technologies for enhanced food security in Mali, and facilitation of south-south technology transfer in Bhutan for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.
Remarking on the announcement, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, said: “Accelerating the deployment of clean and green technologies is going to be crucial for realizing the aims of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. Finance will also be key if that deployment is to happen at the speed and scale required. I am thus delighted that the UNFCCC’s Climate Technology Centre and Network is announcing new and additional funding support for its unique work. I would urge others to see how they can contribute so that the CTCN realizes its full potential in connecting developing countries to the innovative and relevant technologies they seek."
Pradeep Monga, Director of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Energy Department which co-hosts CTCN operations, said: “The Climate Technology Centre and Network provides essential technology expertise and implementation, from identification of technology needs to deployment and linkages to finance. This new funding support will enable the CTCN to meet the growing demand for technology solutions and capacity building needed to meet national climate and development goals."
Referring to the CTCN’s technology transfer services, Issakha Youm, National Designated Entity from Senegal, stated: “The CTCN accurately finds the right experts, helps to develop technology options, removes the barriers and also identifies financial partners to implement technologies in countries.”
The CTCN promotes the accelerated development and transfer of climate technologies for energy-efficient, low-carbon and climate-resilient development. It is hosted and managed by the UN Environment Programme, in collaboration with UNIDO, and is supported by 11 partner institutions around the world. The network utilizes the expertise of these institutions, as well as a global network of over 200 civil society, finance, private sector, and research institutions, to deliver technical assistance and capacity building at the request of developing countries. The CTCN also works closely with the Technology Executive Committee, the policy arm of the Technology Mechanism, to enhance collaboration in the delivery of climate technology support and respond effectively to the needs of countries..