During the Regional Climate Week, RCC Panama, under guidance from the Means of the Implementation Division (MoI), contributed to the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) yearly Regional Forum in LAC for the National Designated Entities (NDEs). This forum was integrated into the Climate Week program, inviting experts from the UNFCCC, governments, international organizations and banks discussing nodes of the implementation of the Article 10 of the Paris Agreement and the Technology Framework. 

Developing and transferring technologies to support national action on climate change has been an essential element from the beginning of the UNFCCC process. The CTCN is a key actor as the implementation arm of the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism, with this yearly forum allowing engagement with climate technology stakeholders, strengthening the NDE network and identifying opportunities to enhance NDC implementation actions through innovative climate technology and financing options. 

The agenda included the UNFCCC participation from Ariesta Ningrum, (Lead Policy and Strategy unit), Andrea Camponogara (Program officer Policy and Strategy unit) and Carlos Ruiz Garvia, Regional lead of RCC Panama). Ningrum presented the foundation of technology and innovation and its inclusion in the Paris Agreement Article 10.               

Fostering innovation can be done by effective collaborative approaches to enhance climate technology RD&D, as presented during the event to be read in the Compilation of Good Practices. This report analyzes selected bilateral and multilateral projects and programmes, some in Latin America and the Caribbean, in sectors such as energy supply, agriculture and water management. 

At the forum the president of AILAC, Ulises Lovera, also presented the goals and process of technological change in relation to the Technology Framework, and the system that need unprecedented transformational change. These include energy, industrial and urban and infrastructure systems to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Presentation by Ulises Lovera, AILAC

Technology and innovation have also been recognized as enablers when supporting countries national plans, and by extension how help countries in enhancing implementation of NDCs. From the Synthesis Report by the secretariat, Ruiz Garvia presented key findings, that that most developing country Parties’ NDCs depend either partially or fully on support for technology development and transfer. Another key finding highlighted by Ningrum was that most parties, 90%, mention technology in their NDC although no provision exists requiring such information. 

During the regional forum, climate technology stakeholders learnt about cases and resources according to the 5 key themes of the Technology Framework: Innovation, Implementation, Enabling Environment, Collaboration and stakeholder engagement, Support. The following are few of the examples of technology transfer presented:  

- NDC Example: By 2021, Chile will have the promotion tools and mechanisms to focus and articulate processes in Development and Technology Transfer for climate Change Research Centers, Public Technology Institutes and International Centers, among other. By 2022, Chile will have an inventory of Research Centers, R&D initiatives and projects related with mitigation and adaptation, and skills to coordinate Technology Development and Transfer for climate change. 

- Resource available: To fully embrace technology development countries can soon learn from the “Roadmap for Delivering on technical assistance request”, this will be a guidebook to guide countries to frame their technical assistance request. While a launch is expected in June, it will support countries achieve  beneficial outcomes in terms of their NDC. Follow roadmap including – identify country priority, engaging with stakeholders, aligning project with existing, review policies and incentives.

- The key role National Designated Entities play, as knowledge sharing and collaboration between countries but also to assure the country driven technical assistance request and leverage the collaboration among all sectors included in the transformational changes anticipated. 

This is the second event RCC Panama collaborates with CTCN. A previous event this year was the Informative webinar on technology assistance, which focused on to increase the knowledge of the countries in the region to receive technical assistance from CTCN and seize financing opportunities from the Innovation Accelerator Adaptation Fond. The RCC Panama remains available to support countries interested in receiving further support from the CTCN and facilitate the communication to leverage the technology transfer in Latin America.