10 November 2010: Ministers and representatives from 35 countries, regional groupings and UN organizations met in New Delhi, India, on 9-10 November 2010, to discuss the creation and operationalization of a technology mechanism under the UNFCCC.

Stressing that such mechanism could be a key deliverable at the Cancun Climate Change Conference, as part of a comprehensive and balanced package, participants focused discussions on: structure and governance of the technology mechanism; its work programme and priority activities; and financing of activities supported by or under the mechanism.

According to a Chair’s Summary, participants proposed that the mechanism could: address adaptation and mitigation; promote international cooperation both for dissemination and deployment of currently available technologies, as well as the development of newly emerging technologies, particularly those that address developing countries’ adaptation and mitigation needs; aim to transfer and share technologies; work to facilitate rapid diffusion of technologies in a cost-effective and affordable manner; and catalyze private-sector activities to meet developing countries’ technology needs. Some participants argued that the mechanism should focus initially on technologies that are or could be in the public domain.

Participants agreed that: the technology mechanism should consist of a technology executive committee (TEC) and climate technology centres and networks (CTCN), with the TEC providing advice on technology issues to the Conference of the Parties (COP) and the CTCN being the operational arm of the mechanism. Some participants preferred that the TEC advise COP on activities eligible for financing, including on procedures for accelerated processing of proposals and disbursement of funding; while others favored that the TEC function as a think-tank on technology issues for the COP. Participants recommended that the CTCN focus on strengthening appropriate organizations and national capacities across the world to provide a range of country-driven services, such as: support for the identification of technology needs and priorities, and preparation of projects and programmes; facilitation of technology innovation to fulfil needs and priorities identified that are unable to be met by existing technologies; and human and institutional capacity building for technology utilization, support and outreach.

Views diverged as to the role of intellectual property in the negotiations, with some proposing to reach an agreement on technology mechanism in Cancun, and continue the dialogue on resolving the intellectual property issue at Cancun and beyond. Participants emphasized the importance of finance in enabling the technology mechanism to achieve its objectives successfully, with many suggesting that the COP provide guidance to the financial mechanism for the provision of financial support to activities relating to technology development, transfer and its deployment, taking into consideration advice from TEC and proposals developed by CTCN. Some participants argued that the financial mechanism should be responsible for the processes related to the development and review of proposals, funding, implementation oversight, monitoring and verification relating to eligible technology development and transfer activities. Some also suggested that the financial mechanism draws upon the expertise and skills of the technology mechanism when appropriate. [Chair’s Summary]