Technology Transfer And Innovation For Low Carbon Development

Technological revolutions have increased the world’s wealth unevenly and in ways that have accelerated climate change. This report argues that achieving The Paris Agreement’s objectives would require a massive transfer of existing and commercially proven low-carbon technologies (LCT) from high-income to developing countries where the bulk of future emissions is expected to occur. This mass deployment is not only a necessity but also an opportunity: Policies to deploy LCT can help countries achieve economic and other development objectives, like improving human health, in addition to reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs). Additionally, LCT deployment offers an opportunity for countries with sufficient capabilities to benefit from participation in global value chains and produce and export LCTs. Finally, the report calls for a greater international involvement in supporting the poorest countries, which have the least access to LCT and finance and the most underdeveloped physical, technological, and institutional capabilities that are essential to benefit from technology.

First Published in 2012. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

Low Carbon Development: Key Issues is the first comprehensive textbook to address the interface between international development and climate change in a carbon constrained world. It discusses the key conceptual, empirical and policy-related issues of low carbon development and takes an international and interdisciplinary approach to the subject by drawing on insights from across the natural sciences and social sciences whilst embedding the discussion in a global context. The first part explores the concept of low carbon development and explains the need for low carbon development in a carbon constrained world. The book then discusses the key issues of socio-economic, political and technological nature for low carbon development, exploring topics such as the political economy, social justice, financing and carbon markets, and technologies and innovation for low carbon development. This is followed by key issues for low carbon development in policy and practice, which is presented based on cross-cutting issues such as low carbon energy, forestry, agriculture and transportation. Afterwards, practical case studies are discussed from low carbon development in low income countries in Africa, middle income countries in Asia and Latin America and high income countries in Europe and North America. Written by an international team of leading academics and practitioners in the field of low carbon development, this book is essential reading for students, academics, professionals and policy-makers interested in the fields of low carbon development, climate change mitigation, climate policy, climate change and development, global environmental change, and environment and development.

Just a decade ago, China maintained only a handful of operating wind turbines -- all imported from Europe and the United States.

Most leaders of developed nations recognize the importance of following policies and strategies to achieve a low-carbon economy based on new and innovative technologies that are able to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create new employment and growth. In the broad spectrum of the feasible decarbonisation pathways, the challenge for political and economic decision-makers is to weigh uncertain impact from different technologies and to build a comprehensive evidence-based framework for research, business, investment and policy decision-making. This book aims to provide the reader with a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art technology in the Low Carbon Technology and Economy field, discussing a set of new technology approaches and environmental and economic implications.

"In WTO Law and Trade Policy Reform for Low-Carbon Technology Diffusion, Zaker Ahmad puts a spotlight on the crucial importance of dismantling market barriers, and offering incentives, to improve clean technology access and diffusion across borders. To that end, the author argues for a synergistic co-development of the international trade and climate legal regimes. Two case studies - one on carbon pricing, another on official export credit support- place the theoretical arguments in a practical trade policy setting. The emerging doctrine and principle of Common Concern of Humankind serves as the key theoretical and structural foundation of the work. A useful read for anyone interested in an effective role of trade law and policy to facilitate climate action"--

The book discusses climate technology transfer under the UNFCCC framework, and China’s relevant legislation and practices. It first explores theoretical basis of climate change-related technology transfer, with a particular focus on the differences between climate technology transfer and business-as-usual performance. The book then reviews practices of both technology supplier and user, in order to generally identify potential legal barriers and obstacles. Finally, it sheds light on China, providing a comprehensive assessment on barriers that hinder the trans-boundary transfers of low carbon technologies and need to be overcome in future. The issues concerned involve two of the most dynamic areas in current China’s lawmaking progress: environment laws and Intellectual Property laws. The book provides an in-depth analysis on China’s legislation and practices in this regard. At international level, the legal framework of climate technology transfer is examined in a systematic, prudent and constructive manner. On this basis, the book highlights potential commons, consistency and possible coordination between the UNFCCC and the WTO regime. This book is accessible to both Chinese and international environmental law specialists. It appeals to a broad readership, including environmental scientists, economists concerned with China’s intellectual property law, foreign investment law and anyone interested in the topic: how to green intellectual property rights regime for climate technology transfer in the China context.

Despite decades of effort and billions of dollars spent, two thirds of people in sub-Saharan Africa still lack access to electricity, a vital pre-cursor to economic development and poverty reduction. Ambitious international policy commitments seek to address this, but scholarship has failed to keep pace with policy ambitions, lacking both the empirical basis and the theoretical perspective to inform such transformative policy aims. Sustainable Energy for All aims to fill this gap. Through detailed historical analysis of the Kenyan solar PV market the book demonstrates the value of a new theoretical perspective based on Socio-Technical Innovation System Building. Importantly, the book goes beyond a purely academic critique to detail exactly how a Socio-Technical Innovation System Building approach might be operationalized in practice, facilitating both a detailed plan for future comparative research as well as a clear agenda for policy and practice. Chapter 1 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9781138656925_oachapter01.pdf Chapter 6 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/tandfbis/rt-files/docs/Open+Access+Chapters/9781138656925_oachapter06.pdf