Technology: Implications for Climate Change Policy in the Short, Medium and Long Term

1. Technology: Implications for Climate Change Policy in the Short, Medium and Long Term William Kojo Agyemang-Bonsu, UNFCCC Focal Point/CDM-DNA, Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana High-Level Colloquium on “Climate Change: Key Actions for the Crucial Years Ahead” Brussels, 22-23 March 2007

2. Key Messages • Global deployment and use of low greenhouse gas emitting technologies is central to tackling climate change. • There are roles to be played by all stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector. However, Governments in both developed and developing countries have crucial roles in facilitating technology development, transfer, deployment, diffusion and application through both national and international initiatives.

3. Key Messages • Developing countries are stepping into a development stage in which greenhouse gas emission will increase sharply as a result of increase in demand for energy on one hand, and low financial and technological capacity on the other. High emission will be locked in for several decades. • What is needed in the short to medium term, is for developed countries to speed up the process of transferring climate sound technologies to developing countries in order to avoid such lock-in effects. • Time is running out and more action is needed

4. Dimensions of Climate Change Policies • There are two basic dimensions of climate change policies • National Policies – SD-PAMs • International Policies • All these policies should address the short, medium and long term interventions • The policies should have clear performance indicators and milestones to allow for monitoring and evaluating and tracking of progress, success and/or failures

5. National Policies – SD-PAMs • The nature of climate change and its impacts requires that all national policies must be interwoven with climate change considerations • In doing so the time dimension is critical – policies should be structured to address short, medium and long interventions

6. National Policies – SD-PAMs • The Climate Change Convention recognizes the development status of Parties and thus places emphasis on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and national capacities. • National Climate Change Policies should obviously reflect the national circumstances and be governed by the obligations Parties have under the Convention

7. NAI - Domestic Technology Policies • Developing countries’ technology policies should in the short term emphasis: • National Technology Absorptive Capacities through strengthening of National Systems of Innovation • Creation of enabling environment including standards, regulations and incentives such as tax breaks

8. AI – Domestic Technology Policies • Developed countries’ domestic policies for technology development and transfer should in the short term address: • Enabling environment that provides support and incentives for the private sector who are “owners of technologies” and thus stimulate private sector engagement and leadership in the area of technology development and transfer to development countries • Mainstreaming of technology development and transfer in development assistance portfolios • Discourage and barn the deployment of obsolete and climate unfriendly technologies to developing countries • Dedicated and predictable financial support to developing countries for technology development and transfer.

9. International Policies – e.g. UNFCCC • In the short term (by COP 13), Parties should reach agreement on: • Improved technology development and transfer framework that time-bound deliverables and clear set targets and indicators • Better mandated and well resourced technology transfer body (far above the current EGTT) that will be able to set the global agenda including medium to long term technology development and transfer strategies • Multilateral technology transfer acquisition fund (MTAF) to identified and prioritized TNAs • Framework for international collaboration on technology research and development and targeted capacity building for technology development and transfer.

10. Multilateral Technology Transfer Acquisition Fund (MTAF) • The MTAF should, among others; • Contribute to buying down of technologies – including IPR • Support the development of national systems of innovation to enhance technology absorptive capacities in developing countries • Promote and support private and public sector partnerships within and across countries • Promote and support market development and transformation within developing countries; including enhancing and creating the relevant enabling environment for technology development and transfer.

11. International Policies – e.g. UNFCCC • Long term international technology transfer policies should lead to a market-based technology development and transfer protocol. • A protocol that consciously provides financial incentives and rewards to contracting public and/or private sector parties, based on: • Level of actual greenhouse gas emission reduction, in the case of development and transfer mitigation technologies, and • Reduction of damage to human, natural and physical assets in the case of development and transfer adaptation technologies.

12. Thank you