3 November 1998

ENGLISH ONLY

UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE

CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES⁽¹⁾

Fourth session

Buenos Aires, 2-13 November 1998

Item 4 (c) of the provisional agenda

1. In addition to the submissions included in documents FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.5 and FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.5/Add.1, one further submission has been received.

2. In accordance with the procedure for miscellaneous documents, this submission is attached and reproduced in the language in which it was received and without formal editing.

1. With respect to the transfer of technology the following actions are proposed to progress transfer of technology as mandated under Article 4.5 of the Convention, and based on information summarised in FCCC/SBSTA/1998/5.

I. FORMULATION OF A STRATEGY FOR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND TRANSFER OF TECHNOLOGIES.

2. The secretariat's activities in this area should be focussed on addressing the direct information and technology transfer needs of developing nations. In particular the integration of activities proposed in this document should be the main area of activity. Particular attention should be given to matching needs with technologies and relevant mechanisms to effect transfer and full diffusion into the mainstream of recipient nations. It should be noted in all activities that technology transfer includes a component of culture transfer and due sensitivity to the impact of such influence must be shown. In particular respect for the indigenous skills and technology base must be maintained. To further the transfer of technology in achieving the objectives of the Convention, the following strategy is proposed. Funding for developing countries to apply this strategy should be supplied under the financial mechanism to the Convention, with specialist advice, if required, being facilitated as necessary by the secretariat.

A. Generic Identification of technologies

3. The information collected by the secretariat to date should be consolidated into a single database which identifies generic technologies and transfer mechanisms which enable, vulnerability assessments, adaptation activities, monitoring, evaluation and impact modeling and emission mitigation

4. The information collected to date could be supplemented by the secretariat inviting the business sector to submit technologies for inclusion in the database. It is further proposed that the previously proposed specialist task teams or technology transfer panels, assess these technologies under common efficacy criteria. It should be stressed that technologies assessed would include those in developing nations.

5. This database should identify all relevant technologies, along with a quantification of their economic, environmental and social impacts, costs, ownership, skills and infrastructural requirements and intellectual property issues.

B. National specific technology matching

6. Based upon the studies in support of national communications currently underway in most developing countries (and completed in some cases), it will be possible for these countries, if adequately resourced, to identify gaps between their current technology base and the technologies required for optimal performance in terms of vulnerability assessment, adaptation and mitigation of GHG emissions. This will enable each nation to develop a sector specific package of technologies which it requires.

C. Test against national priorities and prioritise

7. The desirability of transferring the technologies identified above into specific countries needs to be established by testing them against specific national priorities. This will enable those technologies which address both national priorities and the Convention objectives to be identified.

D. Develop a nation specific technology transfer strategy

8. A technology transfer, adaptation, application, assimilation, monitoring and evaluation strategy needs to be defined. In particular country specific strategies for the transfer of the highest priority technologies should be developed on a technology-by-technology and sector-by-sector basis. In this regard African nations attach critical importance to technologies which will enable them to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change.

9. Funding for the development of these strategies should be sourced from the GEF and technical expertise should be made available should it be required. This expertise must be drawn from developing nations to ensure relevancy of the strategies developed. These strategies should include, inter alia: -

Feasibility studies and pilot plants required to develop local capacity

Skills, capacity building and technological infrastructure requirements

Time frames for implementation

Full costs an support infrastructure for the entire life cycle of the technology

Financing mechanisms, including intellectual property considerations

E. Allocation of tasks

10. The establishment of the database should be undertaken by the secretariat assisted by the previously proposed sector specific specialist task teams, consisting of experts from developing and developed nations.

11. The technology matching, national priority matching and prioritisation should be undertaken by the relevant agencies in developing nations. The GEF should make funding available for this activity.

12. The country specific technology transfer strategy should be developed by the receiving nation, if necessary with specialist assistance facilitated by the secretariat.

II. TECHNOLOGY INFORMATION NEEDS SURVEY

13. The outcomes of the survey undertaken by the secretariat in cooperation with the University of Amsterdam are noted with appreciation. These results will serve as useful input to the further identification of country specific technologies and the development of in-country technological capacity. The mechanism proposed to accomplish this is detailed in section I above and section V below.

III. TERMS OF TRANSFER

14. The progress in this area is noted. It is felt that further progress will be facilitated both by the IPCC technology transfer report and, in particular, the work being undertaken by the secretariat on barriers and opportunities related to the transfer of technologies in developing countries. The inclusion on innovative enabling activities will be particularly useful in implementing the process detailed in section I above.

IV. ADAPTATION TECHNOLOGY

15. Adaptation technologies are of critical importance to all African nations. As such the secretariat is urged to treat this area as highest priority. In particular focus should be given to the transfer of adaptation technologies in applying the strategy detailed in section I above. Technologies such as those which ensure food security, water availability, flood control, infrastructural integrity and robustness and primary energy flexibility should be transferred as a matter of urgency.

V. CENTRES AND NETWORKS

16. Generally the concept of international centres for technology information centres and the facilitation of technology transfer is welcomed. The strengthening of the technological infrastructure in Africa in particular is essential for the sustainability of technology transfer initiatives. In establishing such centres an equitable spread of centres regionally and amongst developing nations must be ensured. Ideally every developing country should have a centre, but this is not necessarily cost effective and existing centres and networks should be developed wherever possible.

17. The Technology Information centres could play a role in the implementation of the strategy detailed in section I in cooperation with the secretariat. In particular they could be important in the development of indigenous technological capacity and infrastructure.

18. Indigenous capacity should be used to operate and develop the centres, with specialist support as required. Centres should be financed on the basis of long-term grants from the financial mechanism under the Convention.

19. It is proposed that regional working groups be established to prepare detailed proposals for the establishment of such centres in developing countries to be presented to the GEF for funding.

1. Including the ninth sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation.

FCCC/CP/1998/MISC.5/Add.2

EZE.98-