Despite the fact that as a norm-setting or even as an implementation matter technology transfer and the technology framework seem to have fallen off the agenda at the UNFCCC, there are two main areas where technology development, cooperation and transfer will arise at the 2019 UN Climate Summit being held in September, 2019 in New York: Energy Transition; Industry Transition
As a framing it does not leave much of a role for technologies to address adaptation in areas such as health and agriculture but it does provide some hook for seeing what the parties will agree to in implementing the Paris Agreement at COP25 in Chile at the end of 2019.
The Energy Transition workplan is headed up by Ethiopia and Denmark within the institutional framework of SE4All. BUT the basic framework is all about enabling environments (more investment and IP protection) for private sector technology investments rather than thinking about how to ensure better dissemination and cooperation and access to technology.
Much the same is true of the Industry Transition workplan, which is headed up by India and Sweden. One area that does explicitly address technology transfer is in the expected outcome on innovation partnerships:
“Innovative Partnerships
- Announcement from coalition members including India, Sweden and other industry track partners of the creation of a ‘leadership group’ of governments and businesses that will deliver ‘sustainable industry growth plans’ to support the transformation of heavy industry in developed countries and to support the leap-frog of sustainable industry in emerging economies. This will be backed by:
- o Innovation partnerships between governments to support technology transfer.
- o Investment in innovation through Mission Innovation and other relevant country-level funds.”
The key will be to see what is envisioned here as innovation partnerships and whether we are to see something like the Technology Implementing Agreements from the International Energy Agency (no support and no IP sharing) or something more aimed at generating participation and disseminating technology and know-how as fast as possible.
And finally, we hear nothing about the elephant in the room on technology, the issue of intellectual property.
Follow developments on the Climate Summit at https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/un-climate-summit-2019.shtml
Technology, Sustainability & Human Rights 