11 May 2012: In a Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) blog post written by researchers at the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (ECN), authors recommend future goals and tasks for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Technology Executive Committee (TEC), with a focus on clean energy technologies and non-Annex I countries.

The TEC, which is part of the UNFCCC’s Technology Mechanism, comprises a group of 20 technology experts and climate change negotiators focused on the development and transfer of technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation. The TEC met in February 2012 to discuss its modalities, and will meet again on 28-29 May to further develop its workplan.

While there are many other organizations and UN agencies focusing on technology development and transfer issues, the authors of the blog outline three specific tasks for the TEC: help non-Annex I countries to develop capabilities to handle new technologies for a low-carbon future, in particular clean energy technologies; be an ambassador for the role such technologies can play in aligning national interests with climate goals, with specific attention to sustainable economic progress, increased resilience, emissions reductions, and employment; and a focus on technology innovations in non-Annex I countries instead of only on North-South technology transfer.

CDKN is an alliance of organizations led by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) that supports decision makers in designing climate compatible development. ECN is an Associate Member of the Global Network on Energy for Sustainable Development (GNESD), a UNEP facilitated knowledge network on energy, development, and environment issues. [CDKN blog] [Technology Executive Committee website]