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Govts, UN launch climate technology solutions for developing nations

By Chinedum Uwaegbulam
16 November 2022   |   3:24 am
Senior officials from several governments, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), launched a new five-year work programme at COP27, yesterday, to promote climate technology solutions in developing countries.

Senior officials from several governments, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and United Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), launched a new five-year work programme at COP27, yesterday, to promote climate technology solutions in developing countries.

Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) – the two bodies of the Technology Mechanism under the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement – unveiled the project to accelerate deployment of transformative climate technologies urgently needed to tackle global warming.

The new mechanism covers work from 2023 to 2027. It foresees specific joint activities to be implemented by TEC and CTCN, including technology roadmaps, work on gender and technology and National Determined Contributions (NDCs) and digitalisation, among others.

“The launch of this joint work programme is an important opportunity for us to step up rapidly efforts to deploy technology to address mitigation and adaptation,” said Executive Director of UNEP, Inger Andersen.

UNFCCC’s Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, noted: “Time is running out to achieve the key goals of the Paris Agreement. The rapid scaling up and effective transfer of climate technologies are imperative to limit the global average temperature rise to 1.5 Degrees Celsius and to build resilience to climate change. A reinvigorated technology mechanism is needed, to unlock appropriate climate technologies everywhere in the world, and that is what this new work programme is designed to achieve.”

IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (IPCC AR6) and contributions from Working Group III (IPCC WG III) on Mitigation of Climate Change spotlighted technology as an enabler to accelerate mitigation and drive effective adaptation solutions.

The assessment also highlighted that limiting global warming would require significant transitions in primary sectors and areas, including energy, cities, pointing to several key areas with high potential for emission reductions such as: cities/urban areas, industry, agriculture, forestry and land use change.

The programme is a significant milestone for the technology mechanism and signals a new era of work for climate technology under the Convention and Paris Agreement. It is guided by science, aligned with the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement and focused on high-potential sectors and high-impact actions.

The United States announced, yesterday, a contribution of $3 million to support implementation of the Joint Work Programme.

U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry, stated: “The UNFCCC Technology Mechanism is galvanising action in this decisive decade through smart technology solutions for climate resilience and mitigation. With this contribution, the United States is supporting a new, strategic approach to cooperation on technology and innovation in developing countries and fulfilling a key pledge made at COP26.  The United States helped lead the development of this first joint work programme for the Technology Mechanism in support of the Paris Agreement Technology Framework. We are committed to ensuring that the Parties cooperate effectively to accelerate action at the scale and pace needed through research, development, demonstration, and deployment of climate technologies.”

Executive Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans said: “Technology transfer is crucial for the success of the global green transition. Whether it’s in energy, infrastructure, mobility or food: we need to make sure that knowledge is shared to help build up industrial capacity and support developing countries to tackle the climate crisis. The new joint programme for the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism opens up new possibilities for innovation and targeted action. The European Commission will continue its support in years to come by providing a new EUR 2 million contribution to the Climate and Technology Centre and Network.”

Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Stefan Wenzel underlined Germany’s support and announced a voluntary contribution of EUR 1.5 million to CTCN and EUR 500.000 to TEC in 2022: “Accelerated and fast deployment of climate technologies is a highly important building block in the set of solutions for transformational change necessary to reach the targets of the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Climate Pact. For this purpose, Germany supports the TEC and CTCN in implementing their joint work program and the targeted sectoral transformation on mitigation and adaptation. The new joint work programme marks an important milestone in the further development of the Technology Mechanism.“

In addition, the Canadian government has confirmed a CAD 6 million grant to the CTCN. Canada’s Natural Resources Minister, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, stated: “While technology itself is not a climate plan, any serious approach must include thoughtful consideration of how to develop and deploy critical clean technologies. This new Joint Work Programme will help governments and other actors around the world collaborate to do just that.”

As a longstanding donor, the government of Japan has committed to continue its current level of funding for the CTCN. The CTCN is pleased to strengthen its collaboration with the Republic of Korea through the recent establishment of its Partnership and Liaison Office in Songdo, Republic of Korea.
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