Low-Carbon Technology Transfer—From Rhetoric to Reality

Low carbon technology transfer to developing countries has been both a lynchpin of, and a key stumbling block to a global deal on climate change. This book brings together for the first time in one place the work of some of the world's leading contemporary researchers in this field. It provides a practical, empirically grounded guide for policy makers and practitioners, while at the same time making new theoretical advances in combining insights from the literature on technology transfer and the literature on low carbon innovation.
The book begins by summarizing the nature of low carbon technology transfer and its contemporary relevance in the context of climate change, before introducing a new theoretical framework through which effective policy mechanisms can be analyzed. The north-south, developed-developing country differences and synergies are then introduced together with the relevant international policy context. Uniquely, the book also introduces questions around the extent to which current approaches to technology transfer under the international policy regime might be considered to be 'pro-poor'. Throughout, the book draws on cutting edge empirical work to illustrate the insights it affords. The book concludes by setting out constructive ways forward towards delivering on existing international commitments in this area, including practical tools for decision makers.

Part 1: New Analytic Approaches 1. Introduction: Low-carbon Technology Transfer: From Rhetoric to Reality 2. International Technology Transfer, Innovation Capabilities and Sustainable Directions of Development Part 2: Learning From Technology and Country-specific Analysis 3. Case Study: Technology Transfer of Energy Efficient Technologies Among Small and Medium Enterprises in India 4. Low-carbon Innovation in China: The Role of International Technology Transfer Part 3: Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) 5. The UNEP-EPO-ICTSD Study on Patents and Clean Energy: Key Findings and Policy Implications 6. Technology Transfer, IPRs and Climate Change Part 4: Assessing Existing International Policy Mechanisms 7. Energy Pathways in Low-carbon Development: The Need to Go Beyond Technology Transfer 8. Low-carbon Technology Transfer Under the Climate Change Convention: Evolution of Multilateral Technology Support 9. Technology Transfer and the CDM 10. Project Based Market Transformation in Developing Countries and International Technology Transfer: The Case of the Global Environment Facility and Solar PV Part 5: Low-carbon Technology Transfer and Poverty Alleviation 11. Stagnation or Regeneration: Technology Transfer in the UNFCCC 12. Pro-poor Low-carbon Development 13. Climate Change Mitigation Technology and Poverty Reduction Through Small Scale Enterprises Part 6: Low-carbon Technology Transfer in the Context of Other Global Concerns 14. The Role of Trade and Investment in Accelerating Clean Energy Diffusion: Issues and Perspectives with a Focus on South Asia 15. International Transfers of Climate-friendly Technologies: How the World Trade System Matters Part 7: Moving Forward: New Directions for Policy and Practice 16. Low-carbon Energy Technology Diffusion: a UK Practitioner Perspective 17. Technology Transfer and Global Markets 18. Reducing the Cost of Technology Transfer Through Community Partnerships 19. Carbon Trading and Sustainable Development: Exploring Options for Reforming the Clean Development Mechanism to Deliver Greater Sustainable Development Benefits