Dear Friends,
We are in the middle of a climate crisis that is only growing faster and stronger, as the IPCC warned last month. Impacts are growing, including in developed countries. The dip in 2020 emissions caused by the pandemic has almost been wiped out by a rebound in 2021. Meanwhile, the climate crisis is closely linked to the biodiversity loss and pollution – arising from many of the same sources and driving these equally worrying crises. Our planet is in trouble, as are we.
We do have the processes in place to deal with the climate crisis, and they have made a difference. But we need to up our game. Nationally Determined Contributions need to be strengthened at and beyond COP 26. Net-zero plans need to firm up and became part of the long-term strategies of the Paris Agreement. Every nation has to beef up its ability to live with the impacts of climate change already locked in – and those nations that can help others should do so, by delivering on commitments on solidarity for developing nations articulated in the Paris Agreement and by going above and beyond.
As the CTCN and UNEP know very well, technology will be essential to deliver on all of these commitments. We can’t reach net-zero by 2050 without the rapid deployment of available technologies, and the widespread use of technologies that are not on the market yet.
The CTCN has played a key role in getting these technologies to where they count.
Since its inception, the CTCN has received 321 requests for technical assistance from 106 developing countries. The impact of technical assistance includes an anticipated 12,9 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year in greenhouse gas emissions reduced or avoided. The anticipated funding leveraged is estimated at USD 1.24 billion from public and private sources. And demand for the CTCN’s services is growing. Between September 2020 and August 2021, the CTCN received 53 new requests for technical assistance.
All of this shows that the demand and need for the CTCN’s services is there. UNEP is proud of the CTCN and the results it has achieved. Results that, lest we forget, are fundamentally about meeting people’s needs. And our partnership in hosting the CTCN with the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has been a great example of UN Cooperation. Together with our partners, we have built a strong consortium around technical centres in the north and south and a rich and growing network of partners. This partnership is exactly the kind of thing we need more of as the UN reforms – because as the Secretary-General highlighted in his Common Agenda, we need more multilateralism and more solidarity if we are to bring humanity back into harmony with nature.
But we all need to strive harder.
As you know, COP 25 invited UNEP to develop plans to financially support the CTCN. This is work that is still progressing. UNEP is working with the Governments of Denmark and United Kingdom, and the UNFCCC, to host a donor roundtable during COP26 to renew and strengthen sustained funding for CTCN activities. UNEP has concluded a 5-year, USD 10 million agreement with the Government of Korea to open a CTCN liaison office in Songdo. This centre will focus on enhancing collaboration with the Green Climate Fund, and strengthening efforts on innovation and collaborative research, development and demonstration, South-South learning and Network engagement in the region.
We are also exploring innovative ways of leveraging finance to scale up the results and recommendations of Technical Assistances and get them implemented. This means using a blended financing approach, in which the grant financing for technical assistance work through the CTCN leverages other sources of public and private financing. This could include banks and investors who have committed to principles for sustainable banking and investment through UNEP’s work with the finance sector. We need big money to deliver on the kind of transformational change we need, and blended finance can provide an avenue to let this finance flow.
Friends,
The recently concluded independent external review of the CTCN provided a number of recommendations for improving the operations and effectiveness of the CTCN. We welcome these suggestions and look forward to a decision at COP26 to renew the MoU between the Conference of Parties and UNEP to host the CTCN. We have much work to do together.
Many emerging and developing countries do not yet have a clear vision or the supportive policy and regulatory environment that can drive rapid technology transfer for climate action. We need to support emerging and developing economies to deploy transformational technologies. Through policy interventions and actions as well as institutional and human capacity development.
And we know the key areas where we need to push technology transformations to put us on the path to net zero. The IPCC, Joint CTCN and Technology Executive Committee NDC analysis, CTCN’s tracking point to five key areas. Energy systems. Urban systems. Food production systems. Water systems. Circularity actions across all sectors of industry.
We have a big job ahead of us if we are to slow climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. We will need the right technology to get us there, and this technology needs to go to the right people in the right countries at the right time. The CTCN has been and will be, crucial to making sure this happens.
Thank you.
Executive Director
