Technology transfer is one of the central issues in the international climate negotiations, reflecting a general consensus that effectively mitigating climate change and adapting to it will require the wide-spread use of climate-friendly technologies. Despite this consensus, many of the details – such as funding, institutional mechanisms and the role of intellectual property – remain controversial. Through this project, the Ecologic Institute examined national and international proposals made in the context of recent UNFCCC technology negotiations. Prospective rules and mechanisms incorporated in existing drafts were also analyzed. The final study is available for download.

In the study released in January 2010 Dominic Marcellino and Christiane Gerstetter (Fellows at the Ecologic Institute Washington D.C. and Berlin respectively) compare proposed rules and institutions for technology transfer in the UNFCCC framework against the experience with existing technology-related institutions and funds in the climate field as well as against the relevant academic literature. The study is the result of a six-month project funded through a grant from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (DDCF), New York, NY.

The project also included a policy brief finalized in November which made recommendations to negotiators prior to COP 15 in Copenhagen in December.

Ecologic Institute’s findings were presented several times. Christiane Gerstetter presented the findings at a UNFCCC side event on December 11th 2009, in Copenhagen. The COP 15 side event titled “Accelerating cooperation and financing for climate technology: Innovative programs, experiences, and current proposals” took place in the Bella Center, the COP 15 venue, in front of an international audience. The event was organized jointly by Ecologic Institute; the International Center For Environmental Technology Transfer, Japan; Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands; the National Renewable Energy Labs (US); and the Climate Technology Initiative. A webcast of the side event and the presentations from the event are available on the COP15 website

On December 3rd 2009, Dominic Marcellino joined Dr. Ulf Moslener (KfW Development Bank) in Germany for the Berlin Seminar on Climate and Energy where the policy brief was presented to over twenty researchers, academics, and students. On November 16th 2009 Ecologic Institute, Washington DC organized a policy briefing on US Capitol Hill on climate technology transfer. Dominic Marcellino presented the policy brief to US policy makers and the Washington climate community. Moderated by Michael Mehling, President of Ecologic Institute, Washington, the panel also included Prof. Thomas Brewer (Georgetown University) and Letha Tawney (Senior Associate, World Resources Institute), who provided comments and additional insights. The audience was composed of legislative aides, researchers, and the media. 

Following dissemination of the policy brief, Michael Mehling was invited to participate on a panel during Copenhagen negotiations for a one-day conference on technology transfer organized by the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development.

Downloads:

• Study: Technology Transfer in the International Climate Negotiations Assessment of Proposals and Discussion of Open Questions [January 2010, 57 pages, pdf, 381 KB, English] The study is also available from  https://www.ssrn.com/abstract=1557816.
• Policy Brief, [November 2010, 15 pages, pdf, 206 KB, English]
• Presentation [pdf, 68 KB, English] given by Christiane Gerstetter in Copenhagen