Agim Mazreku

Technology framework

The role of technology in the implementation of the Paris Agreement

Climate technology in the UNFCCC

Generally, climate technology is thought about as the means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through renewable energies. However, such technologies also help us adapt to the adverse effects of climate change; for example through research, development, and deployment (RD&D) of drought-resistant crops, advanced early warning systems to the development of strong sea walls.

The importance of utilizing climate technology development and transfer for developing countries, as well as the deployment of mitigation technologies in developed countries, is confirmed within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process. Article 4 of the Convention, which deals with commitments, acknowledges technology transfer as as long-standing issue[1]; as an example of this, paragraph 8 of Article 4 reemphasizes that technology transfer is one of the key necessary actions under the Convention.

Article 8 of the Convention- In the implementation of the commitments of Article 8 of the Convention, the Parties shall give full consideration to what actions are necessary under the Convention; including actions related to funding, insurance and the transfer of technology, to meet the specific needs and concerns of developing country Parties arising from the adverse effects of climate change and/or the impact of the implementation of response measures.

It is worth mentioning that Article 4, paragraph 3, of the Convention discusses the steps needed for these actions to be fully implemented. It states that the developed country Parties and other developed Parties included in Annex II shall provide new and additional financial resources to meet the agreed full costs incurred by developing country Parties in complying with their obligations under Article 12, paragraph 1. They shall also provide such financial resources, including for the transfer of technology.

Technology transfer framework

Article 5. The developed country Parties and other developed Parties included in Annex II shall take all practicable steps to promote, facilitate and finance, as appropriate, the transfer of, or access to, environmentally sound technologies and knowhow to other Parties, particularly developing country Parties, to enable them to implement the provisions of the Convention. In this process, the developed country Parties shall support the development and enhancement of endogenous capacities and technologies of developing country Parties. Other Parties and organizations in a position to do so, may also assist in facilitating the transfer of such technologies.

This paragraph of Article 4 of the Convention pushed for the creation of the technology transfer framework. Initially there was an expert group of technology transfer (EGTT) which analyzed technology development and transfer issues. From 2001 to 2010, the EGTT developed the main themes of the technology transfer framework.

Technology themes covered by the technology transfer framework were:

table

Figure 1. Previous key themes of the technology transfer framework.[1]

The implementation of the technology transfer framework continued by the TEC, as requested after EGTT’s mandate ended in 2010.

Technology Mechanism

The Cancun Agreement, reached at the 16th Conference of Parties (COP), decided on the establishment of the Technology Mechanism (TM)[1]. This mechanism implements actions for achieving the objectives related to enhanced actions on technology development and transfer; determination of technology needs; and accelerated action regarding research, development, demonstration, deployment, transfer and diffusion of climate technologies.

In 2011, the 17th COP in Durban finalized the institutional setup of the TM. The TM consists of two complementary bodies that work together: TEC as the policy arm of the mechanism and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) as the implementation arm of the mechanism. These complementary bodies are expected to cooperate for the comprehensive implementation of the technology framework.

Paris Agreement

The 21st COP in Paris is one of the most important global efforts to combat climate change. Its outcome, the Paris Agreement, underlines ambitious measures and actions. In the adoption of the Paris Agreement, the COP recognizes the need to enhance the provision of finance, technology and capacity-building support by developed country Parties to enable enhanced pre-2020 action by developing country Parties.[1]

Section III on ‘Decisions to give effect to the Agreement’, paragraph 67 under ‘Technology Development and Transfer’ decides to strengthen the Technology Mechanism and requests the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), to undertake further work relating to technology RD&D as well as enhancement of endogenous capacities, in supporting the implementation of the Agreement.[2]

Parties also agree to acknowledge the need to promote universal access to sustainable energy in developing countries, in particular countries in Africa, through enhanced deployment of renewable energy.[3] In this case renewable energy fits into in the category of mitigation technologies; here we can find another connection to the importance of technologies for the implementation of the Paris Agreement

Among the most ambitious outcomes is the large-scale transfer of climate technologies. Article 10 of the Paris Agreement reassures that a technology framework is hereby established to provide overarching guidance to the work of the TM in promoting and facilitating enhanced action on technology development and transfer, in order to support the implementation of this Agreement.[4]

Paragraph 5 of Article 10, states that efforts of the TM to promote economic growth and sustainable development can be done through innovation. The latter can be achieved through financial means provided by the Financial Mechanism (FM) of the Convention.[5] This represents the first encounter encouragement on cooperation between the TM and the FM, but specifically for technology transfer only.

Technology framework to serve the Paris Agreement

The ideal Technology framework must consider the objectives of the Paris Agreement as well as the Convention. In order to align with the Paris Agreement, the framework should primarily support the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) so Parties address the technology component of their NDCs. Even though NDCs are not defined of what they consist of, Parties are encouraged to have a technology component given the importance of technologies in every aspect. That being said, it is important to emphasize that a transfer and development of technologies under the framework should allow the achievement of the 1.5-degree temperature goal.

In relevance to the themes, innovation should be one of the key themes given the aforementioned Article 10, paragraph 5 of the Paris Agreement. It was so decided in the report of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) on its forty-fifth session, in Marrakech from 7 to 15 November 2016.

In the Agenda item 6(b), Technology framework under Article 10, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement, SBSTA 45 concluded and agreed that the technology framework should be short, concise, balanced, comprehensive and allow flexibility to respond to changes over time.[1]

Thus, SBSTA further agreed on these initial key themes for the framework:

  • Innovation
  • Implementation
  • Enabling environments and capacity-building
  • Collaboration and stakeholder engagement
  • Support

Now at COP23, SBSTA 47 discussed the topic of the technology framework again. The agenda item 6(b), on technology framework under Article 10, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement, encountered no objections thus the chair initiated an informal consultation on the elaboration of the technology framework themes.

In the first informal consultations Guatemala raised the concern that the specific structure of each themes was never discussed. The co-facilitator of the informal consultation presented a schedule with 40 minutes allocated to each theme to then get back to SBSTA with the draft decisions.

At this point, non-state observers can only urge parties to carefully structure the themes. The focus of the themes must remain on environmentally sustainable technologies that meet appropriateness and risk standards. Such climate technologies should be relevant to adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage needs of country Parties. Structuring the themes while keeping these points in mind as well as the importance of the framework for the temperature goal is what we, the research community, expect.

On the other hand, the issue of NDCs and Loss and Damage, is an ongoing issue. That adds up to the confusion regarding the linkages between technology development and transfer with NDCs and the issue of Loss and Damage. However, to end on a positive note, on an organized side event the chair of TEC reconfirmed that the technology mechanism has not looked into false geoengineering solutions. The theme of innovation in the framework which is about to be elaborated in detail must ensure that geoengineering is not supported by the technology mechanism. That is why the framework needs to mention a type of technology assessment component on innovation, that will take in consideration gender, endogenous technologies, including indigenous and local knowledge, and the balance between adaptation and mitigation. The details of a technology assessment component on the theme of innovation are also critical in order to not let room for harming mass commercialized geoengineering technologies that would only result in heterogeneous ‘side effects’ in the most vulnerable countries. More information will be posted regarding the elaboration of the technology framework and evaluation of the technology mechanism, as the draft conclusions are reached. Until then, civil society is engaging to ensure this framework is set with all the aforementioned considerations since it represents the foundations for the technology mechanism, key instrument for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

[1] FCCC/SBSTA/2016/4, paragraphs 24–31.

[1] Paris Agreement, draft decision /CP21

[2] Section3. Paragraph 67

[3] Paris Agreement, draft decision /CP21

[4] Paris Agreement. Article 10, paragraph 4.

[5] Article 10 paragraph 5

[1] Cancun Agreement. Decision 1, paragraph 117

[1] http://unfccc.int/ttclear/tec/tech-transfer-framework.html

[1] https://unfccc.int/files/cooperation_and_support/ldc/application/pdf/article4.pdf

 

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Published by Agim Mazreku

Agim Mazreku was born and raised in Prizren, Kosovo. Through his engagement in organizing numerous events related to environmental education and awareness raising for the youth of Kosovo, he learned the importance of networking. In 2016, he graduated from the United World College of the Adriatic in Italy. His academic interest led him to College of the Atlantic as a Davis Scholar. He focuses on climate and energy policies and takes on many hands-on renewable energy projects. Back in Kosovo, he worked at the Ministry of Environment, where he acknowledged the need for a human ecological approach in the policy-making world. Worked for COA's Community Energy Center with the aspiration of receiving different perspectives on energy-related issues at a local scale. Recently, he worked for the United Nations Development Programme in Kosovo, in a project to draft Urban Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). He follows matters related to technology transfer for mitigation and adaptation in the developing countries, and the work of the complementary bodies under the Technology Mechanism. Currently studying to get a M.S. in Climate Science and Policy at Bard College's Center for Environmental Policy.

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