ADP Text 11/6/15 Revision: Section G: Technology Development & Transfer.

At their October meeting parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) produced a whole new negotiating text. As I said at the time this is completely insufficient for an agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol (KP).

So what I am doing in preparation for the 21st Conference Of Parties (COP21) in Paris, France at the end of the month is continuing to work through the June 11th (11/6/15) version of the text to turn it into a workable agreement.

I understand that Section F dealing with Finance is one of the most important sections. However I also understand that it is one of the most complicated sections. So with timing running out I have decided to work through the simpler sections before tackling it.

The thinking being that if I can't turn up to COP21 100% I can at least turn up 90% ready.

Section G: Technology Development & Transfer;

Paragraph 128 - Generally I consider this to be fine. However in the second sentence when it refers to "Developed Countries" I think it should refer instead to "All Parties." This will allow for South/South transfer where it exists without removing the obligation on what were termed Developed Countries under KP to share technology.

Paragraph 129 - Here Option 3 is too binary denying the option for South/South co-operation. Option 2 is an unreadable mess. Option 1 is sufficient if it is adjusted to read;

"All Parties in accordance with their Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and evolving economic realities to strengthen cooperative action to promote and enhance technology development and transfer, including through the Technology Mechanism / institutional arrangements for technology established under the Convention and through the Financial Mechanism, in order to support the implementation of mitigation and adaptation commitments under this agreement ."

This makes clear that while all nations have a responsibility to participate in technology development and transfer that responsibility differs depending on the nation's individual economic circumstances.

Paragraph 130 - I consider this to be fine as is because it merely places a responsibility to establish a technology mechanism at some point in the future. Due to the changing nature of technology it is best that the exact rules of that mechanism are negotiated away from the main agreement.

Paragraph 131 - Although the technology mechanism should be negotiated separately the main agreement should set some ground rules of what that mechanism should include. Therefore here Option 2 of not giving any guidance is out straight away. Option 1 however is a mess that needs extensive re-writing;

• Paragraph 131.1 - This is generally fine provided it reads as;

"All Parties in a position to do so to undertake steps to address barriers to accessing technology and know-how and to establish and strengthen their necessary policy frameworks to facilitate the removal of barriers and enable and accelerate technology development and transfer while leveraging enhanced support from the private sector for technology development and transfer."

This version is simpler highlighting the non-binary approach of this agreement without loosing the obligation to provide technology.

• Paragraph 131.2 - When the above paragraph is written to cover "All Parties in a positions to do so" it covers this paragraph rendering it redundant meaning that it can be removed from the text.

• Paragraph 131.3 - This is fine as long as it is re-written as;

"All Parties shall support the development and enhancement of endogenous capacities and technologies of developing country Parties."

After all with nations like Kenya leading the world in fields like mobile Internet development it seems stupid that less developed nations shouldn't be given the option of developing their own technology rather then the charity of more developed nations that can often seem like the colonialism of old.

• Paragraph 131.4 -  This is largely covered above so I don't see the need to include Option (i) when the sub-paragraph is sufficient when re-written to apply to all parties and to include Option (ii) to read;

"All Parties in accordance with the principles of and obligations under the Convention, to establish means to facilitate access to and the deployment of safe, appropriate and environmentally, economically and socially sound technology while promoting, enhancing and rewarding innovation in adaptation and mitigation technologies on the basis of the strengthening of sustainable development trajectories and poverty eradication. Parties recognize that IPRs create an enabling environment for the promotion of technology innovation in environmentally sound technologies."

• Paragraph 131.5 - I would give this more prominence by treating it as a separate paragraph rather then a sub-paragraph. However the text it's is fine provided it reads;

"All Parties in a positions to do so to conduct an assessment of their technology needs, on the basis of national circumstances and priorities and update the same periodically, with a view to ensuring nationally determined and environmentally, economically and socially sound resulting project proposals and to effectively implement the outcomes of such an assessment, in order to support the implementation of this agreement. Parties shall provided support to improve their capacities for conducting technology needs assessments:
 
i. Parties to strengthen the process of technology needs assessment (TNAs) and enhance the implementation of the outcomes of the TNA process;
 
ii. Align TNAs more closely with bankable finance projects / Improve TNAs to result in implementable projects;
 
iii. TNAs could be linked to other processes under the Convention, such as NAMAs and NAPs; TNA process should be elaborated to address developments arising from the operationalization of this agreement."

This wording highlights that in order to receive technology transfers nations must carry out assessments of their technology needs. Although I've excluded the binary language the paragraphs highlights that less developed nations are not entirely on their own and will need to be provided with support to carry out these assessments.

• Paragraph 131.6 - This is fine when it begins; "All Parties in a position to do so." 

• Paragraph 131.7 - This is fine as is because although it doesn't continue the binary approach it ensures that nations which had an obligation under KP still have an obligation under this agreement.

• Paragraph 131.8 -  Strictly speaking I feel this is covered elsewhere in the agreement so could be cut in an effort to save space. However I have no objections to it's continued inclusion.

Paragraph 132 - I consider this fine as is.

• Paragraph 132.1 - This is fine simply reading; 

"The institutional arrangements for technology established under the Convention shall serve this agreement by facilitating enhanced action on technology development and transfer including know-how in order to achieve the objectives of this agreement."

There is simply no need for the long list of institutional arrangements.

• Paragraph 132.2 - Here Option 2 is not sufficient because I think that for capacity building if nothing else there needs to be specific guidance on strengthening the technology mechanism. However Option 1 is a bit of a mess that needs to be re-written as;

"Specific provisions on strengthening: 

(a.) The TEC and the CTCN / Technology Mechanism of the Convention shall support the operationalization and delivery of the commitments related to technology development and transfer in this agreement, under the Convention: 

(i.) Include provisions on accounting; 

(ii.) Take into account the specific needs of countries with special circumstances in Africa and the LDCs and SIDS; 

(iii.) Promote needs-based development, access, management and control, emphasizing the most marginalized.

(b.) The Technology Mechanism shall enhance cooperation and synergy with other institutional arrangements under and outside the Convention and stakeholders, as well as the coherence and effectiveness of technology action and initiatives under the Convention: 

(i.) Establish linkages between the Technology Mechanism, the Financial Mechanism and capacity-building institutions; 

(ii.) The Poznan strategic programme on technology transfer to be linked to and/or guided by the Technology Mechanism;

(iii.) Excluded as duplication of above. 

(iv.) Enhance the role of the private sector to support the implementation of the Technology Mechanism;

(v.) Facilitate the role of public research and development, incentives for commercial research and development, the development of technologies and the reaching of economies of scale;

(vi.) The Green Climate Fund, in operationalizing its adaptation and mitigation windows shall ensure adequate financial resources for technology development and transfer and capacity-building for all climate change actions; 

(vii.) Assessments of the effectiveness, adequacy and implementation of the institutional arrangements for technology development and transfer shall be conducted.

(c.) An ad hoc review and monitoring mechanism shall be established and shall conduct a periodic assessment of the effectiveness, adequacy and implementation of the Technology Mechanism and other institutional arrangements for technology development and transfer. The Technology Mechanism and other institutional arrangements shall improve their performance, and be mandated new functions as needed in accordance with the result of the assessment.

Paragraph 133 - I consider this fine as is because it simply allows for new arrangements to be developed if the need arises. 

18:00 on 7/11/15 (UK date).