In 2010, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC decided (Decision 1/CP.16)* to establish a Technology Mechanism under the guidance of, and accountable to the Conference of the Parties, which included the establishment of the CTCN.* The CTCN is the implementation arm of the Technology Mechanism and promotes the accelerated transfer of environmentally sound technologies for low carbon and climate resilient development at the request of developing countries. The CTCN provides technology solutions, capacity building and advice on policy, legal and regulatory frameworks tailored to the needs of individual countries by harnessing the expertise of a global network of technology companies and institutions.
The establishment of the CTCN was aligned to an acknowledgement by Parties that climate action should follow a country-driven, gender-responsive, participatory and fully transparent approach, taking into consideration vulnerable groups, communities and ecosystems, and should be based on and guided by the best available science and, as appropriate, traditional knowledge, knowledge of indigenous peoples and local knowledge systems, with a view to integrating adaptation into relevant socioeconomic and environmental policies and actions, where appropriate.
In 2010, following a competitive selection process, the COP decided that the CTCN would be hosted by UNEP through a memorandum of understanding with the UNFCCC. In becoming operational the CTCN developed its mission: to stimulate technology cooperation and to enhance the development and transfer of technologies and assist developing country Parties at their request, consistent with their respective capabilities and national circumstances and priorities: to build or strengthen their capacity to identify technology needs, to facilitate the preparation and implementation of technology projects and strategies taking into account gender considerations, to support action on mitigation and adaptation, and enhance low emissions and climate-resilient development.* Consistent with the COP decisions, the CTCN serves three main functions:
The Climate Technology Centre is therefore a unique demand-driven organisation that has been created specifically to meet these needs. Since its inception in 2014, the CTCN has served over 109 developing countries, providing access to over 390 targeted mitigation and adaptation technologies that enable countries to achieve their NDCs and commitments under the Paris Agreement. The CTCN accomplishes this by serving as a trusted matchmaker, delivering technology solutions by mobilizing the public and private sector and technology actors.
The CTCN’s value proposition sets out its competitive advantage and seeks to articulate the value that is delivered through the CTCN’s services.
There are several characteristics that distinguish the CTCN from other organisations, including:
The CTCN is the only technology body in the broader climate technology space that has an official mandate from the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement: The CTCN supports developing countries at their request to develop and deploy technologies as they seek to meet their climate change and sustainable development goals. The CTCN also offers the world’s largest online source of cleantech information (www.ctc-n.org) with access to mitigation and adaptation descriptions, case studies, publications, technology service providers, tools, and webinars.
The CTCN follows a demand-driven process: National Designated Entities (technology representatives selected by each country’s government representing 161 parties to the UNFCCC) coordinate requests from local communities, civil society, the private sector, and public institutions, ensuring alignment with NDCs and national climate change priorities in-country. Since its inception, the CTCN has received 398 requests for technology transfer from 109 countries. The ability to respond to the diverse range of requests and provide customised services is made possible through a continuously growing number of technology service providers in the CTCN Network (over 700 globally), who are contracted to provide technical assistance and capacity building to developing countries on environmentally sound technologies.
The CTCN delivers tailored technology assistance: CTCN experts provide one-on-one support to National Designated Entities to identify and implement appropriate environmentally sound technologies that suit their national circumstances, ensuring all technical assistance is adapted to local conditions, socially and environmentally sound, gender responsive, and accessible for all.
The CTCN creates economic opportunities: New opportunities are created by fostering endogenous innovation and entrepreneurship for environmentally sound or green technologies.
The CTCN’s technical assistance is provided across the full technology cycle and for the complete spectrum of mitigation and adaptation technologies: The CTCN delivers technical assistance, capacity building and knowledge sharing for a full range of technology priorities, from needs assessment and innovation to identifying financing sources for upscaling. The Centre also strengthens the underlying institutional structures which enable technology development and deployment, such as policies, regulatory frameworks, and market creation.
The CTCN is dedicated to gender mainstreaming and the inclusion of youth and indigenous people in its technology work: The CTCN co-hosts the global Gender-Just Climate Solutions capacity building programme, operates the Youth Climate Innovation Labs, and provides an online Gender Hub with hundreds of gender-related publications, tools, and case studies.