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Sustainable Technology Transfer Under the Umbrella of the
Clean Development Mechanism
a report by
Industry Outlook
Charikleia Karakosta
1 2
and Haris Doukas
1. Chemical Engineer; 2. Mechanical Engineer, National Technical University of Athens
Climate change is a problem of global dimensions and therefore Using the above framework, the aim of this article is to examine the
requires a global solution. One of the key challenges is that low-carbon TT and SD inter-relations in developing countries under the umbrella
sustainable technologies need to be adopted by both developed and of the CDM. The focus of this article is mainly on identifying and
developing countries in an effort to avoid past unsustainable practices analysing the CDM contribution (or not) to TT in developing countries
and being locked into old, less sustainable technologies. Under the by discussing the experience in the Asia-Pacific region, where most of
Kyoto Protocol, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) allows the CDM projects in the world are based, highlighting the cases of
industrialised countries to invest in abatement opportunities in China and Thailand. These two cases were indicatively selected taking
developing countries and receive credit for the resulting emissions into consideration their different characteristics in terms of CDM
reductions, thus becoming an instrument for technology transfer (TT) development in the Asia-Pacific region, since China is leading and
of sustainable energy technologies.
1,2
The scope of the CDM is to Thailand is in the process of capacity-building.
support sustainable development (SD) and encourage the mutually
beneficial transfer of appropriate technologies.
3–5
Technology Transfer through the Clean Development
Mechanism – Experiences of the Asia-Pacific Region
As an important feature of both the UN Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Kyoto Protocol, TT can play a key Technology Transfer Concept
role. Developing countries could quickly move to environmentally The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on
sound and sustainable practices, institutions and technologies through methodological and technological Issues in TT
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contains a broad
the process of TT.
6
In addition, TT in the frame of the CDM could definition of TT, defined in terms of a set of processes “covering the
provide a golden opportunity for creating a new paradigm for SD. flows of know-how, experience and equipment for mitigating and
Indeed, as the economies of developing countries grow, the countries adapting to climate change amongst different stakeholders such as
have to consider their options for this route to development, either to private sector entities, governments, financial institutions, non-
contribute to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases governmental organisations (NGOs) and research or education
(GHG) in the atmosphere or to embrace a cleaner and more institutions”. TT is not defined in the CDM glossary of terms;
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sustainable path to development. Expecting TT through the CDM however, the PDD form section A.4.3 requests project participants to
projects is considered reasonable. However, whether this is true in “include a description of how environmentally safe and sound
actual CDM practice remains to be seen, as CDM projects are largely technology and know-how to be used is transferred to the host
initiated by the demand for relatively low-cost certified emissions party(/parties).” While this requirement exists, it is important to note
reductions (CERs). Only a few studies deal with the assessment of the that TT is not a requirement being assessed in the context of registering
CDM’s contribution to TT, mainly by assessing empirical work based a CDM project activity.
on project design document (PDD) evaluations,
1,7–9
while there are
only a few studies dealing with TT through CDM projects using a The Asia-Pacific Region
quantitative approach.
10–12
In terms of the division of pipleline CDM projects across regions, the
Asia-Pacific region has 3,745, Latin America has 821, Africa has 116,
the Middle East has 47 and non-Annex I Europe and Central Asia have
Charikleia Karakosta is a Chemical Engineer at the National Technical University of
Athens (NTUA). She is a PhD candidate at NTUA in the Management and Decision
53 (see Figure 1).
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For each region, the dominance of one or two
Support Systems Laboratory. Her research focuses on energy planning and modelling, countries is clear: China and India dominate the Asia-Pacific region;
decision support systems, energy management and policy and climate change. She has
Brazil and Mexico have the most projects in Latin America; in Africa,
participated in several research and consultancy projects in the fields of environmental
policy, climate change, management and energy modelling. She has authored 35
South Africa dominates; in the Middle East, Israel has the most CDM
scientific journal publications and presented publications or announcements at
projects; and Uzbekistan and Cyprus host the most projects in the
international conferences. Ms Karakosta has an MSc in energy production and
management (2004–2006).
Europe/Central Asian region. The CDM development experiences of
the Asia-Pacific region, where most of the CDM projects in the world
E:
chkara@epu.ntua.gr
are based, indicate that a timely and reasonably simple approval
Haris Doukas is a Mechanical Engineer at the National Technical University of Athens
process encourages CDM investment and that the one-stop shop for
(NTUA). His areas of expertise include energy policy and planning, decision support
CDM information in these countries is of great help to both project
systems (DSS) and renewable and climate policies and strategies. He has been involved in
lectures and training seminars at NTUA and the Technical Chamber of Greece regarding
developers and investors.
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Regarding Asia-Pacific’s Designated
energy policy and DSS. He has written 33 publications in international journals. Dr National Authorities (DNAs), they are generally younger than other
Doukas graduated from the Aristotle University of Thessalonica in 2003 and received a
countries in the world but development differs highly between
PhD on DSS in the sustainable energy sector from NTUA in 2008.
countries. Some are leading globally, such as China and India, while
others have just started or are in the process of institution building,
© TOUCH BRIEFINGS 2010
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