UN Launches New Centre
to Accelerate Use of Technology in Tackling
Climate Change Fri, Feb 22, 2013
Nairobi, 22 February 2013 - From the latest
technical developments in renewable energy
to innovative cropping techniques, the role
of technology and research in tackling climate
change in developing countries is the focus
of a new facility launched by the United
Nations today.
Following a decision
at the 2012 UN Climate Change Conference
in Doha, governments meeting this week in
Nairobi at the Governing Council of the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
confirmed a UNEP-led consortium as the hosts
of the Climate Technology Centre.
The consortium includes
the UN Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO) and 11 other international reseach
and development bodies.
The Climate Technology
Centre and Network (CTCN) aims to speed
up the transfer of climate-related technology
and expertise to developing countries in
order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
and improve resilience to changing weather
patterns, drought, soil erosion, and other
impacts of climate change.
At the 2010 UN Climate
Change Conference in Cancun, countries agreed
on a new Technology Mechanism to improve
the transfer of climate-related technology,
encompassing energy efficiency, renewable
energy, early-warning systems, and other
fields.
Mobilizing necessary
funds and eliminating policy and technical
barriers to deploying such technologies
have traditionally proven difficult.
The CTCN will work to
reduce the risks and barriers that hinder
acquisition of mitigation technologies by
developing countries, and support efforts
to implement mitigation and adaptation actions
that can reduce emisssions and ensure progress
towards sustainable development goals.
"Innovation is
the engine of development, and replacing
current technologies with cleaner, low carbon
alternatives is a vital part of tackling
the causes and effects of global climate
change," said UN Under-Secretary-General
and UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
"Under UNEP's leadership,
the Climate Technology Centre and Network
will work to accelerate the use of new technologies
in improving the lives and livelihoods of
millions of people in developing countries
who are dealing with the impacts of climate
change on a daily basis," he added.
"The consortium
partners are already engaged in some 1500
activities related to climate technologies
in over 150 countries. Together, this expertise
and global reach can deliver scaled-up action
on mitigation and adaptation, and support
the transition to an inclusive, low-carbon
green economy," said Mr. Steiner.
Through nationally-designated
authorities, developing countries will be
able to call on the services of the centre
and its wider network for technical support
and advice.
"The world needs
to urgently accelerate climate action across
all three central pillars of action - this
means international, national and business
action. Technology is essential to enable
developing countries to pursue sustainable
development and to grow their economies
in a low carbon, high resilient manner,"
said Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary
of the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
"UNEP is well suited
to be the host of the Climate Technology
Centre and to lead its supporting consortium
of world-class organizations. The completion
of the Technology Mechanism and its related
network is on track and will soon help boost
efforts across all three pillars of climate
action, which is essential if we are to
stay within the internationally agreed limit
of a 2 degrees Celsius temperature rise,"
added Ms. Figueres.
"The Climate Technology
Centre and Network will reduce the risks
and costs of technology transfer, and help
developing countries make informed choices
about mitigation and adaptation technologies,"
said Kandeh K. Yumkella, Director General
of UNIDO.
The CTCN will establish
an information platform for improved sharing
of knowledge related to climate technologies.
This will provide data, reports, and other
resources to address the specific needs
of developing countries.
In terms of capacity
building, the centre will conduct regional
and national workshops on priority issues,
entrepreneurship, and the development of
policies and programmes to attract foreign
direct investment.
The CTNC will also work
to expand international partnerships to
accelerate the diffusion of environmentally
sound technologies, particulary among communities
in developing countries.
Such efforts will include
'twinnings' of organizations and centres
to promote North-South and South-South partnerships,
and to encourage cooperative research and
development.
The centre will become
the implementing arm of the Technology Mechanism
of the UN Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC), which was backed by UN
member states in Cancun in 2010.
The Technology Mechanism
is expected to facilitate accelerated action
on technology development and transfer,
in order to support action on climate change
mitigation and adaptation.
Earlier this week, the
climate and economic benefits of deploying
solar LED lighting technology were showcased
at the UNEP Governing Council.
Some 74 million tons
of carbon emissions are produced annually
by kerosene lamps and other fuel-based lighting,
mainly in communities in developing countries
living off the electricity grid.
The UNEP studies show
that in Nigeria, for example, replacing
fuel-based lighting with solar-powered LED
units would save the country US$ 1.4 billion
in fuel and other costs, and deliver carbon
savings equivalent to taking 1.6 million
cars off the road. The initial costs would
be repaid in only 14 months.
