The UN Climate Technology Centre & Network (CTCN) is pleased to present this third programme of work, which will guide its operations from 2023-2027. This programme brings a new focus to the CTCN, building on the successes and lessons learned from the past nine years. We are particularly excited about the increased collaboration that is planned between the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the CTCN through their first joint work programme, to be launched at COP27, of which this programme of work is a central element.
The CTCN was established by the parties to the UNFCCC in 2010 and began operations in 2014. The CTCN has supported climate technology solutions in 109 developing countries; aligned to the Technology Framework of the Paris Agreement; and continues to deliver on the Technology Framework’s five key themes: innovation, implementation, enabling environments, collaboration, and support. The CTCN’s new five-year strategy ensures that the Centre will remain responsive to developing countries’ needs while continuing to align with the guidance from the parties to the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement.
This new programme of work emphasizes the transformative potential of national systems of innovation (NSI) and digitalisation as key enablers of technology development and transfer. The myriad benefits of digitalisation are manifest in every sector and are rapidly growing in importance. We must harness the power of these advanced technologies to accelerate progress on resilience and mitigation, including in the poorest communities, or the growing digital divide will exacerbate inequality. Supporting local innovation through an NSI approach, strengthening key institutions, and providing capacity building can be equally transformative, as highlighted in the IPCC’s first chapter dedicated to innovation and technology development and transfer, which was released in 2022 (IPCC, AR6, WGIII, chapter 16). Novel technologies and innovative adoption of existing technologies are essential to accelerate progress on mitigation and respond to climate change impacts that are wreaking havoc on food security, infrastructure, livelihoods, health, natural systems, biodiversity, and well-being, among others.
Under this new programme of work, the CTCN will focus on five system transformations while ensuring that prioritized requests from developing countries are not jeopardized. The water-energy-food nexus is critical for all countries to conserve precious and often dwindling resources, such as water and viable soil, in the face of climate impacts, as well as to transform entire food supply chains – which will be necessary to reduce emissions, build resilience, and meet climate and sustainable development goals. Buildings and infrastructure need to be made more resilient, but also present opportunities for increased energy efficiency and emissions reductions using new building standards, business models, nature-based solutions, and digital technologies. Sustainable mobility has rapidly picked up speed across the globe and is increasingly essential for climate mitigation and broader quality of life and development concerns. The CTCN will capitalize on energy system transformations that remain fundamental to reducing emissions, while cities and urban systems offer substantial opportunities for decarbonization. Business and industry are both a major source of emissions and an essential sector for developing and implementing climate technology solutions.
Recent UNFCCC and Paris Agreement decisions called for enhanced cooperation and collaboration with the Financial Mechanism, including engagement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) with respect to the GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme and the Project Preparation Facility. Through this collaboration and our increased coordination with the TEC via the new joint work programme, we are confident that the CTCN is poised to play an even stronger role in supporting climate ambition, the successful implementation of nationally determined contributions and the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Omedi Moses Jura Chair of Advisory Board
Erwin Rose Vice Chair of Advisory Board
