CLIMATE CHANGE STRATEGIES 2020 CLIMATE STRATEGIES CHANGE

2020

Contributors include: Patricia Espinosa, David M. Hart, Orly Jacob, Srilata Kammila, Francesco La Camera, Mette Møglestue, Rose Mwebaza, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Jim Skea, Peter Thomson Imagine a world where all people have equal rights and opportunities.

Women and girls are not afraid of walking home late at night, and men and boys are not trapped in oppressive masculinities. Men and women get paid equally for work of equal value and share the care work at home. Imagine equality in politics, and corporate boardrooms and factory floors. Women have equal say in decisions that affect their lives, their bodies, their environment, from villages to cities. Let’s make this a reality. Be a part of the change! Join UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign to mark the 25th anniversary of the historic Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a visionary agenda for women’s rights.

UNWOMEN.ORG | #GENERATIONEQUALITY | DONATE.UNWOMEN.ORG CONTENTS 3

CONTENTS

FOREWORDS

06 From ambition to action By Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

08 Enabling the Paris Agreement The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) connects countries with the know-how, technology and finance to achieve their climate goals. By Rose Mwebaza, Director, CTCN

INTRODUCTION

12 Power of the Network The network aspect of the CTCN endows it with vast capability. It also amplifies the potential impact of its individual members. By Orly Jacob, Chair, Advisory Board, CTCN

ACTION NOW

14 Pathways to 1.5°C warming Current efforts to tackle climate change fall well short of what’s needed to limit temperature rise to manageable levels this century. A step change would be needed to get on track. 12 By Jim Skea

17 Clean energy’s compound benefits As well as being a necessity for mitigating climate change, clean energy will be the core driver of sustainable development. By Glenn Pearce-Oroz

23 Forward-thinking adaptation Innovative adaptation projects offer hope for climate- vulnerable communities around the world – but need urgent political and financial investment before it’s too late. By Srilata Kammila

26 Energy innovation: the forgotten side of Paris Rapid innovation in clean energy technologies is essential to meet the 1.5°C target. By David M. Hart

TECHNOLOGY

28 Tailored climate action How can we harness the power of Technology Needs Assessments to accelerate collaborative climate action? 26 By Sara Trærup

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 4 CONTENTS

30 Case study: Harnessing wind energy in south Benin 36 Energy efficiency, the obvious first response A CTCN project examined the potential to develop a The technology and expertise are there, so what’s stopping small wind turbine sector in Benin to bring power to rural countries from maximising their efficient use of energy? communities in the West African country. By Brian Motherway By Peter Vissers and Stan van den Broek 40 Unlocking access to water 32 The power of renewables Just as the climate crisis affects water resources, water Renewable energy can lead the way to sustainable infrastructure systems aggravate climate change by development and climate mitigation. producing direct and indirect greenhouse gases (GHGs). By Francesco La Camera Can technology provide an answer to this conundrum? By Thomas Panella and Stephane Bessadi

44 The Water-Energy-Food Nexus Ensuring enough water, energy and food as the population grows and climate warms calls for smart solutions that recognise the interplay between finite resources. By Olivier Dubois

47 Home-grown innovation Endogenous solutions to climate change can offer more effective and scalable solutions, particularly in developing countries. How can we encourage more of them to flourish? By Ruka Sanusi

50 Forests as assets The destruction of forests for short-term economic gain is perhaps the most visible sign of humans’ contribution to climate change. We must reassess forests’ value, harnessing technology to reverse the damage we have wrought. By Susan C. Gardner

SYSTEMIC CHANGE

52 Moving to a circular economy in Latin America Latin America should make green economics a central strategy to mitigate the threats to its unique natural 66 resources. By Giovanni Calderón Bassi

54 Towards climate-smart transport in Cambodia The need to curb emissions and the threats of climate change is shaping Cambodia’s plans to expand access to mobility and transport. By Hak Mao

56 The sustainability of city growth As populations grow and concentrate in cities, the risk and scale of climate disasters is intensified. We must make cities and infrastructure climate-friendly in construction – and resilient to extreme events. By Maimunah Mohd Sharif

59 Guarding the coasts Coasts, particularly in the developing world, are in the firing line of climate change. What actions must we take now to protect the vulnerable communities whose lives depend on them? By Joyashree Roy, Sabuj Kumar Mandal, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, 69 Satabdi Datta, Indrajit Pal and A. Saleem Khan

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies CONTENTS 5

62 Case study: Tackling flooding in Jakarta A CTCN project to develop high-resolution computer Editor Karina Larsen modelling to represent coastal water dynamics is helping Assistant Editors Irma Juskenaite, Shanar Tabrizi Indonesia build the expertise and infrastructure to tackle Sub-editor Howard Gossington devastating flooding. Design James White Sales Cecily Robinson 64 Case study: Strengthening infrastructure Operations Geraldine Brennan A CTCN project to make Antigua and Barbuda’s critical Finance Ricky Harwood buildings climate-resilient will bring long-lasting benefits Editorial director Claire Manuel to these islands. By Egbert Louis Publisher Hugh Robinson 66 Big threats to small islands The next 10 years – designated the UN’s Ocean Decade – may Published by Witan Media Ltd decide the very survival of Small Island Developing States. The Old Baptist Chapel, It calls for technology-led, coordinated action, starting now. Painswick, GL6 6XH, UK By Peter Thomson Tel: +44 (0)20 3327 3730 www.witanmedia.com MAKING IT HAPPEN

On behalf of the Climate Technology Centre and Network 69 Effective partnerships UN City, Marmorvej 51 Climate action demands cross-border collaboration. DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark What are the essential ingredients for creating successful Tel: +45 4533 5372 multinational climate projects? By Karsten Krause www.ctc-n.org 72 Empowering women as climate actors Two projects, in Senegal and Ghana, show the transformative power of simple technology to empower working women. By Monica Maduekwe

The CTCN is the operational arm of the UNFCCC 74 Harnessing CTCN services Technology Mechanism, hosted by the UN Environment How can beneficiary countries make the most of what Programme and the UN Industrial Development the CTCN has to offer?By Elisha N. Moyo Organization (UNIDO). For more details, see page 83. 76 Technology to drive change Front cover: Sand dune reforestation, Madagascar The CTCN has a pivotal role to play in helping countries (© PNUD Madagascar) develop the technological solutions essential for tackling climate change. By Mette Møglestue Images: Alamy Stock Photo, Asian Development Bank, CCAFS/CGIAR, CIFOR, CTCN, DFAT Australia, DFID, Getty 78 Connecting investors with climate projects Images, Government of Cook Islands, Mwangi Kirubi, NREL, How can we encourage more private investment, particularly UNDP, UN Photo, USAID, World Bank, WorldFish to nurture the entrepreneurs in developing countries that will be critical for meeting the climate challenge? Printed by: Buxton Press By Peter Storey ISBN: 978-1-9998451-4-8 80 Case study: Growing green in Chile © 2019. The entire contents of this publication are protected by A recent study analysed how sustainable technologies copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form are starting to transform Chile’s agriculture sector – or by any means: electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or and what must happen to increase their uptake. otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher. The views By Isabel Quiroz and opinions expressed by independent authors and contributors in this publication are provided in the writers’ personal capacities and are their sole responsibility. Their publication does not imply ABOUT US that they represent the views or opinions of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) or Witan Media Ltd and must neither be regarded as constituting advice on any matter whatsoever, nor 83 Climate Change Strategies 2020 be interpreted as such. The reproduction of advertisements in this publication does not in any way imply endorsement by the CTCN or Witan Media Ltd of products or services referred to therein.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 6 FOREWORD

From ambition to action The full deployment of technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change is vital if we are to realise the vision of the Paris Agreement.

By Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

he Climate Technology Centre technologies, policies and approaches and Network (CTCN), the is demonstrating that the Technology Timplementation arm of the Mechanism of the United Nations UNFCCC’s Technology Mechanism, has Framework Convention on Climate Change been matching the technology needs of (the Convention) is delivering on its mandate developing countries with world-class to serve the poorest and most vulnerable. solutions since 2013. National Designated Entities The global expertise that countries are (NDEs), the focal points responsible able to access through their national focal for channelling requests for technical points for climate technology is delivering assistance to the CTCN across 134 tangible results on the ground. Increasing developing countries, are the backbone partnership with the Green Climate of this cooperation. They coordinate Fund (GCF) is helping to unlock strategic domestically across government investment, and strengthened capacity ministries and with project proponents from the community to the national level to to ensure they are aligned with their absorb and maximise the use of innovative country’s Nationally Determined strengthen their building codes to resist Contribution (NDC). Twenty-seven ever-strengthening hurricanes. developed country NDEs, meanwhile, work with the CTCN to identify Climate technology opportunities to support, with expertise The term “climate technology” covers or financial resources, needs identified a broader scope than many realise. In through these requests. recent years, climate technologies have All NDEs play an important role in been deployed on an unprecedented scale The term “climate raising awareness of the service offerings around the globe. Certain renewable technology” covers of the CTCN, including identifying energy technologies are now competitive potential organisations to join its with fossil fuel options for electricity a broader scope than Network of expert partners that bid on generation, and technology assessments many realise… climate the implementation of targeted solutions. and roadmaps developed by the CTCN Their work spans the full scope of climate and its partners help ensure that technologies have technology: from building flood models appropriate technology choices are been deployed on an to support sustainable urban planning in made by governments and that enabling unprecedented scale Asian megacities, to designing distributed environments are in place to support solar photovoltaic systems in Africa, to domestic and international investment to around the globe planning networks to monitor ecosystem scale-up their deployment. resilience in South America, to helping Studies have also shown that vulnerable countries in the Caribbean investments in energy efficiency can be

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies FOREWORD 7

Maintenance crew at the Sunny Bangchak solar farm, Thailand. The facility has a capacity of 38MW, substituting electricity derived from coal and avoiding 38,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. © Patarapol Tularak/ADB

the most cost-effective means to reduce countries require the full support of the development banks and the Adaptation emissions and support sustainable global community to strengthen their Fund to increase its impact. economic development. These measures, resilience to changing rainfall patterns The scale and ambition of these such as better insulation in new buildings and rising seas, enhance agricultural actions, however, still fall short of where and upgraded standards for appliances, production and food security, and support we need to be. The IPCC Special Report lower demand for electricity – delivering the efforts of governments to meet the on 1.5C states that global emissions must lower emissions while enabling existing needs of their populations. be halved by 2030 and net-zero by 2050. infrastructure to be channelled towards The requests made of the CTCN for We must collectively raise our ambition improvements in standards of living. adaptation are balanced across agriculture if we are to rise to the level of the That’s why, for instance, the CTCN is and forestry, infrastructure and urban challenge before us. We need tomorrow’s partnering with the GCF in ten countries planning, coastal protection and early technologies and innovation, but while in Southern Africa to improve standards warning systems, and water sustainability. also scaling up the deployment of those for appliances and transformers, Its partners are active in developing in existence today. The stories in this just one way in which the Financial coastal adaptation strategies, adaptation publication provide a window into the and Technology Mechanisms of the monitoring systems, sharing agricultural good work being done under the umbrella Convention are collaborating to support best practices and working with cities of the Convention in partnership with the climate mitigation needs of developing to inform more resilient development civil society and the private sector to countries. strategies. support the actions articulated in country The deployment of climate This work can be shared and NDCs, and support them to raise their technologies for adaptation is arguably replicated within and across regions, level of ambition as we approach 2020. even more important. Developing including in partnership with regional Let us meet this challenge, together.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 8 FOREWORD

echnology transfer, along with finance and capacity building, is Enabling the Trecognised as one of the pillars of implementation for the international climate process coordinated by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Paris Agreement Change (UNFCCC). It also supports the development objectives enshrined in the Sustainable The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) Development Goals (SDGs), and is a key component of the work being undertaken connects countries with the know-how, technology by countries to realise the vision of their and finance to achieve their climate goals. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in support of the Paris Agreement By Rose Mwebaza, Director, CTCN and the fight against climate change.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies FOREWORD 9

Matching needs with expertise The CTCN is an institution created by Parties to the UNFCCC in 2010 to stimulate technology cooperation and enhance the development and transfer of climate technologies. Since beginning its operations in CTCN matches global 2013, it has undertaken projects in 93 expertise across countries responding to over 170 technical assistance requests intended to address the full spectrum of specific country needs identified by climate technologies developing countries. It has trained more than 2,500 officials and concluded to deliver the in excess of 100 projects anticipated to transformational leverage $900 million and reduce nearly solutions required by 120 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the next ten years. This the developing world has all been delivered for approximately $50 million through a network of more than 500 expert implementing partners in less than six years. the CTCN provides regional assistance The niche of the CTCN is unique: to amplify the impact that countries can in line with the guidance of the Addis achieve. Ababa Action Agenda that 60-70 per cent The CTCN partners with the Financial of funding to deliver on the SDGs and Mechanism of the UNFCCC – the Global Paris Agreement must originate with Environment Facility and Green Climate the private sector, the CTCN matches Fund – through their country focal points global expertise across the full spectrum to pilot innovative approaches and scale- of climate technologies to deliver the up project ideas that build resilience transformational solutions required by the and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. developing world. By working with these and other CTCN’s implementing partners institutions, such as the European Bank deliver targeted results that empower for Reconstruction and Development and project proponents and recipients. the Adaptation Fund, the CTCN is able to The technology feasibility studies and offer climate finance providers investible prioritisation assessments, decision- technology projects. Future solar energy technicians being making tools and policy expertise that The services of the CTCN are trained in Tanzania. © CTCN result from these interventions support channelled through national focal points the development of, for instance, new for climate technology who ensure regulatory and investment frameworks, that the actions to be undertaken align monitoring systems, efficiency standards with national climate priorities. These The UN Secretary-General has been and climate-resilient urban planning. Nationally Designated Entities (NDEs) unequivocal that the objective of achieving act as project originators, filling the carbon neutrality in 2050 is possible, and Scaling-up solutions project pipeline of the CTCN with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate What makes these projects project opportunities that meet Change has established that staying within ‘transformational’ is their potential developing country needs for climate 1.5ºC of temperature rise by the end of the to alter the trajectory from business- technology and contribute to NDC century is not out of reach. as-usual. Because countries prioritise implementation. To do so, however, is to recognise that partnership with the CTCN on issues In addition to providing vetted project all actions are interlinked, and that to with high potential for replication and ideas to development finance institutions, deliver on Agenda 2030 we must mobilise scalability, the outputs of CTCN support the CTCN’s 131 developing country the international community as a whole can transform the approaches adopted NDEs are well-positioned to identify and address climate change in a systemic by economic sectors, municipalities and key strategic sectors and areas that manner. Most important of all is the national governments. would benefit from coordination among urgency with which we rise to meet the In cases where national climate international climate partnerships, donors challenge before us. change priorities align across countries, and other project investors.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 10 FOREWORD

Confronting and properly addressing climate change will take constant innovation, leadership, courage

Implementing resilience practices and creativity in the Cook Islands. © CTCN at every level

Building capacity The CTCN has been collaborating with Leveraging the collective voices of CTCN interventions also help to build women’s organisations since its inception young people involves effectively engaging capacity in host countries to adopt and to identify and highlight best practices, stakeholders including universities, use climate technology, both through provide capacity building and ensure professional societies, academies of engaging local partners to ensure the gender mainstreaming in the delivery of science and engineering, and youth- suitability of the response to the national its technical assistance services. focused private and public organisations. situation of the country and by hosting In 2019, the CTCN finalised its Gender The CTCN is deepening its training and matchmaking workshops. Policy and Action Plan to guide operations engagement with the youth constituency These capacity-building efforts and gender mainstreaming of its core of the UNFCCC, and looks forward to extend beyond NDEs to include local service areas. The CTCN gender focal developing an approach that supports stakeholders, Network members, other point works proactively with strategic their specific needs, including for capacity government officials and climate-focused partners to promote internal and external building and education, youth-centric institutions with an interest in applying capacity building on gender, and has networking and information-sharing, the technology in question and ensure introduced procedures, tools and methods and support for the development and that appropriate institutional and for mainstreaming gender into CTCN core diffusion of innovative approaches practical knowledge is retained. service areas. and best practice to be shared among To generate greater awareness about The CTCN also co-hosts a Gender-Just developing-country partners and other relevant technologies and methods Climate Solutions awards programme branches of the UNFCCC. for building enabling environments highlighting innovative climate change to support technology innovation, solutions from around the world that Delivering on the promise investment and deployment, the CTCN feature strong gender integration. Winners Confronting and properly addressing offers the world’s largest online resource receive intensive mentoring on up-scaling climate change will take constant for climate technology information, their initiatives through advocacy and innovation, leadership, courage and www.ctc-n.org. relationship building, training on access creativity at every level of our society. The CTCN is increasingly working to finance, and networking opportunities Even as advances in clean technologies with two specific constituencies to with the CTCN and its partners. make low-carbon pathways economically strengthen the effectiveness of its Young people, meanwhile, can be a and technically feasible, international activities: women and youth. force for development as well as drivers of collaboration remains vital to enable Technology transfer and uptake technological innovation. They tend to be developing countries to make this can only be scaled up by ensuring that among the first to embrace new ideas and transition. The CTCN will continue its both women and men have access to frequently recognise the global and local mission to deliver targeted technology relevant decision-making, finance and dynamics of development. At the same interventions to unlock transformational technical skills development. In this way, time, they are increasingly aware of the climate action in developing countries and technology outcomes are more likely to impacts of actions that may jeopardise emerging economies. be successful and sustainable for the progress towards Agenda 2030 and the I look forward to working with you to communities they serve. Paris Agreement. bring these solutions to life.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies The UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) has been operating since 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General. We support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Climate Agreement by accelerating joint learning and promoting integrated approaches.

Over 800 universities, The SDG Academy offers The annual SDG Index and research institutes, and an ever-growing number of Dashboards report tracks other knowledge-creating online courses on the country performance on institutions are part of SDGs, including agriculture the SDGs. Related products SDSN. Memberhship is free and food systems, cities, include regional SDG Indi- and entitles you to a wide- early childhood develop- ces, including for Africa, range of resources and ment, resilience, and and city indices, including networking opportunities. climate change. for the 100 largest cities in www.unsdsn.org/join www.sdgacademy.org the USA. www.sdgindex.org

UNSDN TO PRINT.indd 1 29/10/2018 20:29 12 INTRODUCTION

Power of the Network The network aspect of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) endows it with vast capability. It also amplifies the potential impact of its individual members.

By Orly Jacob, Chair, Advisory Board, CTCN

he Climate Technology Centre Members possess expertise across the and Network (CTCN) was created full scale of adaptation and mitigation Tby Parties to the United Nations technologies and assist in the delivery of Framework Convention on Climate Change everything from technology roadmaps in December 2010. The CTCN accelerates to the formulation of geothermal policy action on climate change by leveraging the and regulatory frameworks to developing expertise of civil society and the private climate-smart agriculture manuals. sector to meet the needs of developing Members of the Network also CTCN has built countries for climate technology. contribute knowledge products (including a Network of case studies, technology assessments, and The “N” in CTCN information on new technologies and 500 member Since it began operations in 2013, the approaches) to the largest online climate organisations from CTCN has built a Network of 500 member technology portal on the internet, ctc-n.org. organisations from around the world. These For example, detailed descriptions around the world members are drawn from research and of more than 100 gender-just climate academic institutions; non-governmental, initiatives were recently shared by the intergovernmental, not-for-profit and public- UNFCCC women and gender constituency, sector organisations; and the private sector. and Network members have contributed MSMEs are best suited to bid on and Member organisations bid for the approximately 80 webinars that are implement the size of projects requested opportunity to lead projects in response accessible to the public. The website serves of the CTCN (generally US$75-200K). They to technical assistance requests from as a clearinghouse for information on all are also most able to benefit from the developing countries. These projects of the technical assistance interventions opportunities created by working with accelerate the adoption of technologies to undertaken by the CTCN and its partners. the CTCN, including opening doors to new reduce emissions and build resilience to It also lends profile to the work its members markets, and creating local partnerships and the impacts of climate change, ultimately are doing in support of developing-country networking opportunities. leading to enhanced national capacity. In climate priorities. These projects present sound, vetted turn, this creates opportunities for more opportunities to collaborate with the United ambitious national climate objectives, Who’s in the Network? Nations and contribute to the achievement as well as for Network members to Network members are drawn fairly equally of the Sustainable Development Goals and demonstrate their expertise. from the Global North and South and are the Paris Agreement. The bidding process To date the CTCN has received nearly able to bid on opportunities to implement is managed by UNIDO and the successful 250 technical assistance requests. technical assistance worldwide through bidders work directly with national a bidding process managed by UNIDO. governments and the CTCN to ensure Why a Network? To help ensure the cultural, linguistic smooth implementation. Network members are fundamental to the and technical suitability of the proposed Research and academic institutions operations of the CTCN, which acts to build solution, and that local capacity is retained are particularly valuable contributors to capacity, share information and deliver if the lead implementer is from a different these types of partnerships. They bring tailored solutions that directly respond region, project bids must include a local research expertise and an understanding to the needs of developing countries. The partner based in the recipient country to of innovation cycles, which supports requests that are channelled to the CTCN help liaise with the proponent and national innovation needs assessments and the address needs that are both specific to the technology focal point. development of national systems to unique conditions of each country, and Most Network members are micro-, stimulate technology innovation. scalable across neighbouring nations with small- or medium-sized enterprises In addition, these institutions similar circumstances. (MSMEs), and experience has shown that strengthen the Network’s ability to respond

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies INTRODUCTION 13

Personnel from the Green Technology Center (GTC) of Korea, a Climate Technology Centre and Network member, working on home water desalinisation systems and flood-resistant housing models in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. © CTCN

to developing-country needs with strong the implementation of proven solutions experts such as the Private Financing modelling and forecasting capacity. By while fostering innovation in international Advisory Network (PFAN) and government working with private-sector organisations, development partnerships, supporting climate officials to realise opportunities they can also help create opportunities foreign policy objectives and crowding- with benefits for all. to apply their research capacity to in additional financing from regional Perhaps most fundamentally, the commercialise early-stage climate technology development finance institutions. Since implementing institutions that are part solutions for adaptation and mitigation. many of the requests received by the CTCN of the CTCN Network are the delivery Additionally, research and academic are for early-stage technical support and mechanism for the current and future institutions possess deep experience policy-focused interventions, partnering with technologies, and the capacity to absorb and collaborating across borders and finding the CTCN also helps to create the enabling implement them, that lie at the heart of the common purpose among diverse environments necessary to secure needed Paris Agreement. communities – skills necessary to accelerate private-sector investment. Technology and capacity, supported by climate action. Network members are invited to finance, are the means of implementation participate in regional CTCN events that will enable countries to take more Why join? alongside government representatives and ambitious strides towards decarbonising For public-sector agencies and governments, other climate focal points, including the their economies, protecting human rights, partnering with the CTCN is a low-risk, Global Environment Facility and Green supporting economic growth, and building low-cost means of leveraging technologies Climate Fund. The CTCN continues to resilience to the impacts of climate change. and approaches developed in-house with strengthen intra-Network cooperation, It is often said that climate change countries in need. The CTCN essentially forging partnerships that promote is a global challenge; we must meet this serves as project originator, operating North-South, South-South and triangular challenge through the full deployment of all through a series of national focal points cooperation for the benefit of recipient the tools at our disposal, across every sector, for climate technology that ensure all countries and implementing partners alike. in every country around the world. The initiatives are aligned with, and contribute It also organises matchmaking events based expertise of the Network and its ability to to, Nationally Determined Contributions. on its analysis of regional needs and invites deliver world-class, customised solutions to Sharing and replicating best practices across organisations with relevant expertise to developing countries is a vital component of countries and regions can help spread participate alongside development finance this solution. I invite you to join us.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 14 ACTION NOW

Pathways to 1.5°C warming Current efforts to tackle climate change fall well short of what’s needed to limit temperature rise to manageable levels this century. A step change would be needed to get on track.

By Jim Skea, Professor of Sustainable Energy, Imperial College London and Co-Chair, IPCC Working Group III (Mitigation of Climate Change)

hree decades after the consequences of higher levels of warming patterns of consumption, including our Intergovernmental Panel on Climate and has flagged that climate impacts are dietary choices. TChange (IPCC) was established already observable – a fact that many If we do not make a prompt start with and preparations started for the UN communities can attest to through their these system changes, we may need to rely Framework Convention on Climate Change direct experience of unusual seasonal on the large-scale removal of carbon dioxide (UNFCCC), there are encouraging signs weather, more frequent and intense storms, from the atmosphere in the latter part of that action to address climate change is and wildfires. the 21st century if we are to keep global finally picking up pace. The evidence comes In spite of emerging action, the news warming to well below 2°C. from right across society. is not all good. The IPCC Special Report on This highlights a wider set of challenges. Diplomatically, the 2015 Paris Global Warming of 1.5°C and the regular UN Whether through the IPCC or UNFCCC, Agreement set governments the challenge Environment Programme Emissions Gap of stating their ambitions to tackle climate reports show unequivocally that the pledges change, measuring the collective impact currently made by governments do not set of their actions through a regular global the world on a path to meeting the Paris stocktake, and encouraging them to ratchet Agreement mitigation aim of “holding the up their aspirations. Countries have started increase in the global average temperature to respond by setting ‘net zero’ targets, to well below 2°C above pre-industrial Whether through the which balance emissions and sinks of levels”. As the Paris Agreement also obliges greenhouse gases. countries to “pursue efforts to limit the IPCC or UNFCCC, This is achieved, for example, by setting temperature increase to 1.5°C”, the implied countries have sectoral targets for renewable energy, phasing gap between aspiration and planned action out petrol and diesel cars, and increasing is even wider. emphasised that rates of afforestation. Economically, many It is clear from the IPCC report on climate action is companies and sectors, notably the financial Global Warming of 1.5°C that limiting sector, have bought into the climate agenda temperature rise to 1.5°C would require not to be pursued and are taking steps to change the direction rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented in isolation of their businesses (see panel on page 16). changes in all systems, including energy, There is also unprecedented awareness of land, urban and industrial systems. Coal climate change in civil society, reinforced by use must fall by at least three quarters by the activities of groups such as Extinction 2050 in emission pathways compatible with countries have emphasised that climate Rebellion and the huge global impact of 1.5°C warming, accompanied by significant action is not to be pursued in isolation. It Greta Thunberg and her colleagues. This declines in oil use and, in most cases, the use needs to be undertaken “in the context of all culminated in the UN Climate Action of natural gas. sustainable development and efforts to Summit in New York in September 2019. The share of renewables in the energy eradicate poverty”, to quote from the full The IPCC has helped to maintain mix would need to grow rapidly. Changes title of the IPCC Special Report on Global the global focus on climate change by in energy supply would need to be Warming of 1.5°C. producing three influential Special Reports accompanied by large-scale investments Large-scale conversion of land to within a year: on Global Warming of 1.5°C, in energy efficiency. We would also need to undertake climate mitigation measures at Climate Change and Land and The Ocean see the electrification of energy demand to the scale of several millions of km2 globally and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate. take advantage of zero-carbon renewable – such as for afforestation, biomass for Each of these has warned of the serious electricity and, possibly, changes in our energy or biochar – carries its own risks

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies ACTION NOW 15

Steam evaporates from the Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Project in Indonesia. CTCN is currently assisting six African countries – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda – develop geothermal power in the Great Rift Valley. © Gerhard Joren/ADB

in terms of food security, biodiversity and management of cropland and grazing development. Alongside the adoption of the ecosystem services. However, such measures lands, improved and sustainable forest Paris Agreement, the UN has adopted the 17 could deliver against a wide range of goals management, and increased soil organic Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for relating to climate mitigation, adaptation carbon content. The land sector can 2030. Scientists are increasingly using these and sustainable development if they are contribute substantially to climate change to assess the wider implications of climate implemented at appropriate scales using mitigation, but the aim of the Paris action and the interactions between climate best practices supported by suitable Agreement cannot be achieved though land mitigation, adaptation and sustainable governance mechanisms in well-managed alone. Major changes in all other systems development. landscape systems. would be required. The positive message is that many There are also many land-based The land example highlights the wider specific actions, especially those relating mitigation options that do not require importance of taking all climate action to consumption and energy demand, can conversion of land, such as improved in the broader context of sustainable contribute positively to the SDGs. Most

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 16 ACTION NOW

measures relating to energy supply and in a well-planned and inclusive transition land management can also make positive will be vital in securing climate ambitions. CLIMATE ACTION 100+ contributions, though some, as identified Where we are in terms of climate Investors taking the lead above, need careful and measured action can be summarised as follows. Our implementation. ambitions in terms of moving away from Climate Action 100+ is a five-year The required “rapid, far-reaching and business as usual are huge. There are investor initiative to ensure the unprecedented changes in all systems” encouraging signs that countries, regions world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on described in the Global Warming of 1.5°C and cities are stepping up their action. But climate change. report are not without socio-economic we are still a long way from where we need challenges. The Polish Presidency of the to be. UNFCCC COP25 hosted by Chile in More than 370 investors with over $35 24th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Madrid in December 2019 provides the next trillion in assets collectively under UNFCCC in December 2018 highlighted major opportunity for governments to management are engaging companies the importance of a just transition to gain demonstrate their commitment. There are on improving governance, curbing social approval for these unprecedented some obvious steps to be taken. Progressing emissions and strengthening climate- changes. Unless managed well, a rapid the Paris ‘rulebook’ by establishing means related financial disclosures. transition could have significant negative by which countries can share their

repercussions for some industries and some climate ambition (through ‘internationally The companies include 100 ‘systemically important emitters’, communities that have until now been transferred mitigation outcomes’) is vital. accounting for two-thirds of annual reliant on high carbon production. The next big test will come in 2020 when global industrial emissions, alongside The just transition principle aligns well countries are urged to submit enhanced more than 60 others with significant with SDG 8, which refers to decent work and pledges aimed at meeting the Paris goals. At opportunity to drive the clean energy economic growth. Attention to high-quality this point it may be clearer whether we are transition. jobs, skills and retraining, and processes indeed on the right path. which engage communities and workforces This article was written in a personal capacity.

s CUMULATIVE EMISSIONS OF CO2 AND FUTURE EMISSIONS OF OTHER GHG WILL DETERMINE THE CHANCES OF LIMITING WARMING TO 1.5°C

Observed global temperature change and projected outcomes in response to different emission reduction scenarios 3.0

2.0 Observed monthly global mean surface temperature

Estimated anthropogenic 1.0 warming to date and likely range Likely range of modelled responses to stylised pathways

Global CO2 emissions reach net zero in 2055 while net

non-CO2 radiative forcing is reduced after 2030 0.5 2017 Faster CO2 reductions, to reach net zero in 2040, result in a higher probability of limiting warming to 1.5°C Global warming relative to 1850-1900 (ºC) Global warming relative No reduction of net non-CO2 radiative forcing results in a lower probability of limiting warming to 1.5°C

0 1960 1980 2000 2020 2040 2060 2080 2100

Source: IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC. Graphics based on the IPCC figure with minor changes to captions for clarity

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies ACTION NOW 17

Clean energy’s compound benefits As well as being a necessity for mitigating climate change, clean energy will be the core driver of sustainable development.

By Glenn Pearce-Oroz, Director of Policy and Programs, Sustainable Energy for All

The 50 MW wind farm at Khandke in Maharashtra State, India. © Ian Taylor/ADB

t is easy to see a global energy transition There are approximately 840 million underserved communities, so reliable as imperative for preventing devastating people worldwide with no electricity healthcare and education are also often Iclimate impacts. Yet, the energy access. Millions more have limited out of their reach. transition must accomplish different access because of intermittent supply or Meanwhile, there are roughly three things for different places. unaffordable costs. Not having at least billion people who do not have access to In developed countries, the focus of the ‘Tier 3’ electricity access – enough to clean cooking solutions. Instead, these transition will fall on how to shift existing power general lighting, phone charging people rely on burning biomass, coal industries and lifestyles away from carbon and medium-power appliances, available or kerosene, exposing themselves and dependency. In developing countries, the for at least eight hours a day and three their families to dangerous fumes in the transition must emphasise delivering new, hours every evening – limits people’s process. clean energy access to help people and local social and economic opportunities. So, when we talk about a global energy economies thrive. These people typically live in energy- transition, we must talk about devising

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 18 ACTION NOW

strategies that simultaneously curb ‘first fuel’ because it can deliver 40 per cent emissions and deliver productive levels of of the CO2 reductions necessary to achieve sustainable energy to all, just as Sustainable the Paris Agreement, according to the Development Goal (SDG) 7 urges. International Energy Agency. How can we do this? The list of It is also the best way to decouple required actions is long, but here are two economic growth from energy demand and themes to guide us. help us deliver the SDGs. Countries under Financial, political pressure to build up their industries and and regulatory Embrace energy efficiency infrastructure and bring new household Major financial, political and regulatory energy access must make every unit of commitments on commitments on energy efficiency energy produced go further. energy efficiency are needed for the energy transition Combining energy efficiency measures to succeed. Already touted as the ‘fifth with new clean generation will help ensure are needed for the fuel’, energy efficiency deserves greater reliable access where it is most needed to energy transition prominence. It should be considered the support people’s wellbeing. to succeed Take healthcare as an example. A hospital or clinic of any size needs a constant supply of electricity for lighting THREE PERCENT CLUB and running equipment to keep patients Finance for new, clean energy access safe. If there is a limited supply from A rapid proliferation in electricity derived Launched at the UN Climate Action its powering grid, mini-grid or off-grid from a mix of zero-carbon, renewable Summit in New York in 2019, the solution, then this facility (and other energy solutions is paramount to the Three Percent Club is a coalition infrastructure sharing the same power energy transition. Unfortunately, uptake of countries, businesses and source) must be as efficient as possible. of renewables in developing regions is international organisations that are In a health centre, the building itself and languishing. committed to driving a 3 per cent medical appliances should follow strict Finance is the lynchpin to providing global increase in energy efficiency efficiency standards to keep overall energy clean, reliable electricity access worldwide. each year. demand low. Hence energy efficiency This is especially true in developing To achieve this, 15 governments implicates various businesses spurred by countries where public funds are scarce. and 10 companies will access government policy. The Energizing Finance research series research by the International Energy Currently, only a small group of developed by Sustainable Energy for Agency (IEA). The research shows countries have Nationally Determined All identified that in 2017 a combined that the right efficiency policies could Contribution plans that include specific $12.6 billion went towards connecting deliver more than 40 per cent of the energy efficiency commitments. households across 20 high-impact emissions cuts needed to reach the Governments setting firm targets would countries with the greatest electricity goals of the Paris Agreement, without send a signal to industry to fall in line, and access gaps. requiring new technology. together they can work on developing new Household connections in these “Energy efficiency is the one efficiency regulations. countries are tricky because large segments energy resource that all countries Along these lines, a promising initiative of their populations live in rural areas share in abundance, and it can help called the Three Percent Club (see panel) without access to national grids. In most reduce emissions while enhancing was launched during this year’s UN cases, these last-mile communities are their peoples’ wellbeing,” said Climate Action Summit. It comprises 15 best served by off-grid and mini-grid Fatih Birol, IEA Executive Director. countries, along with corporations and solutions because the economics of grid “Our analysis shows that we can institutions, committed to a 3 per cent extensions do not add up. The good news collectively achieve much higher annual global increase in energy efficiency is that these solutions are based on clean rates of progress, and we are across their economies and businesses. energy generation, so their widespread delighted to see the leadership and These are not just high-income implementation can bring vital electricity ambition set out by these countries.” countries with budgetary space for energy access without causing a spike in emissions. Countries involved include: efficiency. Several developing countries Unfortunately, total investment in Argentina, Colombia, Denmark, made the pledge, which highlights how off-grid and mini-grid solutions in the Estonia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Honduras, energy efficiency is an investment in high-impact countries stood at $430 million Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Kenya, their overall development. Platforms like in 2017. This is a small fraction of the $12.6 Portugal, Senegal and the UK. this offer a tremendous opportunity for billion invested in electricity access and the exchange of technical and financial suggests that millions of people without support that will help the world better grid connections are being left behind. manage energy demand. Governments, businesses and development

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies ACTION NOW 19

Maasai of the Moduli district in northern Tanzania, where solar-powered micro-grids are providing life-saving water purification, refrigeration for food and medicines, a computer for the community, and lights for the cow and goat corrals to frighten away the hyenas. © Morgana Wingard/USAID

banks need to unlock finance for the off- people around the world currently relying $32 million. This shortfall is shocking, grid and mini-grid sectors in the coming on dirty fuels, this is damaging to the considering the impact that every dollar years so that people in hard-to-reach places environment and people’s health. The spent on clean cooking can have on public can be included in the energy transition. Clean Cooking Alliance indicates that health budgets. Innovative financing mechanisms in many Asian and African countries, Again, governments, development should be designed to alleviate current household cooking can account for as organisations, philanthropists, impact barriers to investment in these sectors, much as 60 to 80 per cent of black carbon investors and social enterprises all need such as perceived credit, liquidity and emissions. Further, the CO2 emissions to better recognise the long-term value of currency risks. caused by unsustainably harvested wood aligning on clean cooking. Development banks are particularly fuel leading to deforestation are estimated The sustainable energy transition is important to this effort and should be at 2 per cent of global emissions. already underway. We know that shifting prioritising clean energy access – not only In terms of human impact, people to clean energy will alleviate climate with their capital but with in-country cooking with dirty fuels in poorly impacts, but the opportunity is much technical and policy support. Their ventilated spaces face dire health greater than that. collaboration with governments can consequences, and proper ventilation just Former UN Secretary-General Ban produce new financing and governance means worse air quality for surrounding Ki-moon called sustainable energy “the frameworks that will crowd in much- areas. Clean cooking is not just an energy golden thread that connects economic needed investment from the private sector. and climate solution, it is a public health growth, social equity and environmental This is also an area of particular interest solution. sustainability”. These words have universal to the Climate Technology Centre and Energizing Finance highlights how application, so we need to ensure everyone Network (CTCN), which delivers technical more than $4 billion in annual investment has access to productive levels of energy, assistance and capacity building to for clean cooking is needed to meet SDG 7 starting with the most underserved people countries for increased energy access. by 2030. But in 2017, based on available data, and communities. This calls for a deepened, Of course, this strategy also applies to finance for clean cooking in 20 high-impact concerted commitment to energy efficiency clean cooking access. With three billion countries was estimated at a combined and finance for clean-energy access.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 20 VOITH SPONSORED FEATURE

Hydropower A sustainable and reliable climate protector Hydropower is a key pillar for achieving global climate protection goals – on the way towards a carbon-neutral power industry

he world is not on track to meet the international climate measures. Global energy-related CO2 emissions rose by 1.7 per cent

protection goals agreed upon under the so-called “Paris in 2018, reaching an unprecedented level of 33.1 gigatons of CO2. Agreement” from 2015 (UNFCCC). In fact, the overarching The rise in CO emissions represents the highest growth rate T 2 goal of limiting global warming to below 1.5ºC is a long way off. since 2013 and sends an alarming signal three years after the Paris In order to reduce the risk of a global climate collapse, the Agreement. Not all industrialised and emerging countries seem reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is essential. To achieve to take the danger of climate change seriously enough. Thus, 169 the goal, transforming energy production to clean, renewable countries introduced targets for renewable energies at the national technologies is necessary. A transition from fossil fuels to low- or country level by the end of 2018. carbon alternatives is urgently needed. Many governments still Only very few governments have yet transposed the agreed favour fossil fuels and shy away from effective climate protection climate targets into national law. By mid-2019, only Sweden, Norway, SPONSORED FEATURE VOITH 21

France and the United Kingdom had established “zero-emission With more than 120 active hydropower plants having an installed targets” in their national legislation. Countries such as Denmark, capacity of almost 8,800 MW, Australia is well on track. In 2018, Spain, Chile and New Zealand have announced roadmaps and renewable energies accounted for 20 per cent of total electricity timelines to achieve this target as well. production for the first time. According to estimates, a share of 50 per cent is possible by 2024, and by 2032, 100 per cent would be How the Paris Agreement is able to pick up momentum possible. The development enables Australia to achieve the Paris If the world community does not step up its commitment to the climate targets earlier than scheduled in the agreement, making it a fight against climate change now, there will be no turning back. The role model for other countries. phase-out of coal, oil and gas is possible on a global basis. The shift towards renewable energies is essential for achieving global climate Shining examples of sustainable hydropower development targets. Hydropower plays a significant role: it has been used for There are other countries that integrate renewable energies – centuries to generate energy and is still the world’s largest source and hydropower in particular – into their energy mix in an of renewable electricity today. exemplary way. Iceland, for example, generates 99 per cent of More than 16 per cent of the electricity generated worldwide its energy from renewable sources – mainly hydropower and stems from hydropower – more than all other renewable energies geothermal power. together. Hydropower combines an unrivalled degree of efficiency Regarding annual investment in net capacity additions, Iceland with an extremely long and reliable plant service life. In addition, ranked fourth globally in 2018. For example, the country increased hydropower offers small- and large-scale storage capacities that its generation capacity with the commissioning of the 100 MW support flexible and dispatchable production of renewable energy, Búrfell II power plant in 2018. It uses the energy that had previously helping to stabilise other intermittent renewable sources such as flowed unused past the older Búrfell station, built in 1969, thus solar and wind. providing more flexibility in operation. Pumped storage plants are the most proven, technically reliable and economical form of large-scale storage of electricity. Pumped storage accounts for 96 per cent of global energy storage capacity. Compared to batteries, pumped storage facilities have far greater output, a significantly longer typical design life of equipment and a greater number of design cycles.

Solving the storage dilemma The worldwide potential for pumped storage power plants is enormous. The fifth continent alone, Australia, has the capacity to store up to 1,000 times more renewable energy than the country would need. Nationwide, at least 22,000 potential sites have been identified as suitable for pumped storage. The Australian government is specifically promoting the expansion of the technology and declaring it to be one of the most important factors in implementing the country’s planned turnaround in energy systems. At the beginning of 2019, the government of South Australia committed itself to providing additional funds for four new pumped hydro projects. In this way, the aim is to further increase energy production from renewable energy sources and also ensure greater grid stability.

Role model Australia The Snowy 2.0 project is currently one of the most important hydropower and pumped storage projects in Australia. As one of the largest pumped storage basins of its kind in the world, it represents an important milestone for Australia on the road to 100 per cent electricity generation from renewable energy sources. The project will connect the two existing dams of the Snowy Mountain system, Tantangara and Talbingo, through underground tunnels and an underground power plant with pumping and generating units. The underground powerhouse will contain six reversible Francis-type pump turbines. The capacity of the plant is designed for 2,000 megawatts (MW). 22 VOITH SPONSORED FEATURE

Plant operators are investing in forward-looking technologies in order to further optimise the maintenance and operation of the power plants

Budarhals plant, Iceland: Hydropower can make an important contribution to achieving global climate goals

In addition, the plant operators are investing in forward-looking technologies in order to further optimise the maintenance and About the Voith Group operation of the power plants. The Budarhals plant is equipped The Voith Group is a global technology company. With its with Voith’s acoustic monitoring system for intelligent noise analysis broad portfolio of systems, products, services and digital and asset management features. applications, Voith sets standards in the markets of energy, Thanks to its vast landmass and diverse geography, Canada also oil & gas, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. possesses an enormous abundance of renewable energy sources for Founded in 1867, the company today has more than 19,000 power generation. In 2017, the country launched a nationwide dialogue employees, sales of €4.2 billion and locations in over 60 on Canada’s energy future. More than 380,000 citizens took part. The countries worldwide and is thus one of the larger family- conclusion: experts, industry representatives and consumers advocate owned companies in Europe. clean energy – including the use of hydropower. Currently, six Canadian The Group Division Voith Hydro is part of the Voith Group provinces and territories generate more than 94 per cent of their and a leading full-line supplier as well as trusted partner for electricity from renewable sources – hydropower is at the forefront. equipping hydropower plants. Voith develops customised, Reventazón, the largest hydropower project in Central America, long-term solutions and services for large and small hydro has an installed capacity of 305.5 MW and supplies more than half a plants all over the world. Its portfolio of products and services million households with electricity. Since it came into operation, the covers the entire life cycle and all major components for project has led Costa Rica to achieve a target of generating 100 per large and small hydro plants, from generators, turbines, cent of its electricity from renewable energy sources. This makes the pumps and automation systems, right through to spare parts, hydropower plant an important component of the green revolution maintenance and training services, and digital solutions for in Costa Rica and underscores the government’s plan to abandon intelligent hydropower. fossil fuels by 2021.

CTCN thanks Voith for its generous support for this publication ACTION NOW 23

Preparing and transporting sand-filled geo bags, which will be used to reinforce river banks in Assam, India. The geography of Asia and the Pacific makes the region highly susceptible to rising sea levels and extreme weather. © Rakesh Sahai/ADB

Forward-thinking adaptation Innovative adaptation projects offer hope for climate-vulnerable communities around the world – but need urgent political and financial investment before it’s too late.

By Srilata Kammila, Head of Climate Change Adaptation, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

limate change is no longer a threat However, not all countries are affected archipelagos, scaling up climate action can in the distant future. It is here by climate change at the same scale. be problematic. Cnow and we need to adapt to the Nations in less developed regions in the Africa is another region at its tipping challenges it brings. Global South are not only hit first but also point. Changing weather patterns pose Unprecedented wildfires in California, hardest by the impacts of climate change. an existential threat to the poverty- crippling droughts across the Horn of Asia and the Pacific is the most stricken region. Water shortages could Africa, deadly storms and floods in the disaster-prone region in the world. Its significantly reduce crop yields and put Bahamas and Japan – recent headlines give geography makes it highly susceptible to large parts of the population at risk of us a taste of what climate change has in rising sea levels and weather extremes. undernourishment. The Arab states are store for humanity. With some communities scattered across not faring much better. In addition to

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 24 ACTION NOW

widespread conflict and displacement, to declines in crop yields, putting pressure the Arab region has the highest water on women to support their families with insecurity and dependency on food alternative incomes. imports on the planet. Climate change is Training women in sustainable exacerbating these challenges. agriculture and land management, With the most vulnerable people constructing a solar-powered well, and bearing the brunt, climate change has the introducing a mill running on solar Protecting our people potential to derail decades of hard-won energy not only improved food security and planet from the human development. Ultimately, climate in the community, but also contributed to change could drive an additional 100 additional income for the women. devastating effects million people into poverty by 2030. The integrated project approach of climate change How can we tackle the daunting task resulted in benefits reaching across the of protecting people and planet in the Sustainable Development Goals, from requires a new kind face of erratic weather patterns and rising poverty reduction and gender equality to of preparedness sea levels? The tools and technologies clean energy and climate action. It’s a win- already exist. We need immediate and win-win across mitigation, adaptation and urgent action to mainstream, scale up sustainable development. and accelerate climate change adaptation across the globe. Partnerships are critical Letting countries lead Boosting private-sector investment to deliver climate action on the ground – in Countries and communities need to be According to UN Environment’s 2016 particular, ensuring access to technologies at the heart of adaptation programmes Adaptation Finance Gap Report, adapting and practices for the most vulnerable to and projects to ensure their success and to climate change risks will cost the world adapt to the changing climate. Partners, sustainability. By involving governments, between $140 and $300 billion per year like the Climate Technology Centre communities and other relevant by 2030. Currently, adaptation finance is and Network (CTCN), are important in stakeholders in all stages of adaptation estimated at about $22 billion per year. facilitating technology solutions and planning, from risk assessment to project Bridging this massive funding gap capacities for countries to shift to low- design to implementation, we can provide will require significant private-sector carbon, climate-resilient pathways. tailored solutions to communities’ investment and engagement. But how can individual challenges and boost we unlock it? There are many reasons for Breaking down silos community ownership. the current lack of private investment – Climate change impacts every aspect of our In Sri Lanka, community consultations from insufficient knowledge about climate lives. It threatens our food security, water and involvement have led to a unique risks to limited technical capacity to supply, health, economy and overall safety. approach that is bringing water to the regulatory obstacles. As a result, we cannot tackle it by taking a country’s dry zone. A UNDP-supported Eliminating existing barriers for siloed approach. project financed by the Green Climate the private sector means assessing Reducing carbon emissions, adapting Fund (GCF) is helping farmers to cope climate risks, building local competence, to climate change impacts and boosting with the adverse effects of climate change designing robust policies and regulations, sustainable development must be delivered by reviving an ancient cascade system of creating markets for local goods and together if we’re to achieve our vision of water tanks. services, introducing partnerships and a resilient, sustainable and low-carbon Collecting and redistributing every collaborations, and de-risking investments. future. single drop of rain the land receives for In the Maldives, a GEF-funded project A project aimed at mitigating climate drinking water and irrigation makes a huge helped to do just that. With an average change is a lost investment if it doesn’t difference for the local population. Paired height of less than two metres above consider adaptation measures to current with trainings on climate-smart farming sea level, the Maldives is one of the most and future climate stresses as well as the and improvements to the hydrological vulnerable countries to climate change. effects climate change has on human forecasting system, the community is As tourism is the main driver of the development. better prepared for the next drought. island nation’s economy, the UNDP- On the other hand, a project helping CTCN has an adaptation project in Sri supported project helped to conduct risk communities cope with climate change Lanka, where it is assisting in establishing assessments and integrate climate change impacts may actually increase carbon Kurunegala as a climate-smart city. Most adaptation into policy and planning emissions if mitigation principles are not urban systems in Kurunegala, which is instruments for the tourism sector. With taken into account. located in the country’s North Western the nation now better prepared for climate- Take, for example, a UNDP-supported Province, are vulnerable to the impacts of related shocks, the initiative boosted new project in Mali funded by the Global climate change and this project will help to investment partnerships between the Environment Facility (GEF). Shorter rainy enhance climate resilience and low-carbon Government of Maldives and tourism seasons and prolonged droughts have led pathways for the city. resorts.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies ACTION NOW 25

Flood refugees queue for treatment at a mobile clinic in Southern Malawi. The country is suffering more intense and frequent weather extremes. © Arjan van de Merwe/UNDP

Scaling up innovation helped to feed disaster risk reduction donors and leveraged an additional $3.1 Innovation is key to cope with climate insights into policies and planning billion from public and private partners via change impacts. At a local level, processes at all levels of government. A co-financing to implement 220 adaptation communities are responding to climate GCF-financed project supported by UNDP projects across 93 countries. These projects stresses in innovative ways. Replicating is now building upon this foundation to have directly increased the resilience of successful solutions in other parts of a expand its reach nationwide, with about the lives and livelihoods of more than 80 country or region can save valuable time three million people benefiting from it. million people. By supporting the national and money. By setting up pilot projects and adaptation planning process, UNDP has carefully monitoring their results, insights Working towards climate-resilient helped over 75 countries integrate climate and best practices can be fed into policy societies risks into policies, strategies, plans and processes, helping to scale up successful Protecting our people and planet from budgets at national and local level. approaches. the devastating effects of climate change Going forward, we have big plans to In Malawi, a series of UNDP-supported requires a new kind of preparedness. We increase global ambition. With our ‘Climate interventions showcase scaled-up need to assess and identify climate risks, Promise’, we aim to support 100 countries innovation. The country faces more intense build technical, financial and institutional in enhancing their national climate and frequent weather extremes such as capacities, create climate-resilient policies pledges under the Paris Agreement – the floods, droughts and storms. Early-warning and economies, and integrate climate Nationally Determined Contributions – systems for extreme weather events can action with sustainable development. by 2020, focusing on both mitigation and prevent weather-related deaths, improve Making this a reality requires large adaptation. local food security and protect people’s amounts of funding from the public and By 2022, we will help over 150 million health. private sector. The longer we wait to scale people adapt to climate change. By After the country’s National Adaptation up these investments, the more expensive doing so, we will help them benefit from Plan of Action provided the framework to climate action will get. increased safety, wellbeing, food and water develop early-warning systems, a successful Since 2008, UNDP has mobilised $1.2 security, resilient livelihoods and enhanced pilot in seven disaster-prone districts billion from vertical funds and bilateral ecosystem services.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 26 ACTION NOW

Energy innovation: the forgotten side of Paris Rapid innovation in clean energy technologies is essential to meet the 1.5°C target. Despite bold commitments from nations, progress is well behind what’s needed.

By David M. Hart, Director, Center for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, George Mason University

Ashley Marshall, Erin Sanehira and Joey Luther at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado, USA. Ashley and Erin developed ground breaking, high-efficiency photovoltaics using perovskite quantum dots. Although the US remains by far the largest investor in clean energy R&D, its withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is detrimental to international scientific and technological cooperation. © Dennis Schroeder/NREL

hen the Paris Climate its terms are fulfilled, and indeed the shipping and aviation in the transportation Agreement was signed in 2015, signatory nations build ambition beyond sector (two billion tons or 4 per cent), and Wmany of the world’s major it, the main Paris Agreement is doomed many forms of agriculture (which totals five powers also affixed their signatures to failure. billion tons or about 10 per cent). to another agreement called Mission Here’s why rapid innovation is so Second, while zero-emissions options Innovation. By doing so, they committed important. First, no realistic solutions have exist for other major sources, they themselves to accelerate innovation been developed to eliminate emissions from are likely to remain too expensive or in technologies that will lead to rapid a variety of major sources. These include impractical to fully displace entrenched reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. cement, iron and steel production in the incumbent high-emissions technologies Tragically, this other Paris agreement industrial sector (three billion tons or about without substantial further innovation. has largely been forgotten. Yet, unless 6 per cent of global emissions annually), This is particularly the case for developing-

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies ACTION NOW 27

country applications. In the power sector, (or raising fuel taxes). However, relatively science is larger than the rest of the for instance, an estimated one third of all few nations have chosen to do so. In Mission Innovation nations combined. electricity generation will need to come fact, when the countries participating in These levels were achieved, though, from zero-carbon resources other than Mission Innovation are taken as a whole, only because the US Congress rejected wind and solar power, which generate the effective carbon price is negative – they the Trump administration’s proposed power intermittently. Advanced nuclear are subsidising fossil fuels, creating further budget cuts. Beyond the budget, the US and bioenergy with carbon capture barriers to low-carbon energy innovation. administration’s head-in-the-sand attitude and storage (BECCS) is among the ‘firm’ The reluctance of governments toward climate change has harmed global power technologies that are in need of to raise energy prices significantly is clean energy innovation, giving diplomatic intensive further research, development understandable, considering the essential and demonstration (RD&D) to fill this gap. role that energy plays in everyone’s lives. Also ripe for more RD&D are long-duration If innovation could narrow the price gap energy storage systems that can back up between high and low-carbon technologies, intermittent wind and solar resources. a modest, more politically palatable carbon Third, it is important to build resilience price would encourage a more rapid against the prospect that global efforts transfer to cleaner technologies. The need for to reduce emissions will fall short of the To narrow this gap, governments targets set in Paris. In such a circumstance, will have to provide a strong technology energy innovation technologies to remove carbon directly push. Mission Innovation committed its 24 has become ever from the atmosphere may need to be signatory nations, along with the European deployed on a large scale to get the world Union, to do exactly that. The agreement more urgent. back on track. Although there are a diverse pledges a doubling of public clean energy Unfortunately, the range of potential options for carbon RD&D spending over a five-year period, response to this removal, most of these technologies are as well as cooperation to tackle the most still in their infancy. pressing technical issues. challenge has not But too few nations are making good been encouraging Increasing urgency on these promises. Rather than being The need for energy innovation has on track to double by 2020 or 2021, clean become ever more urgent. Unfortunately, energy RD&D investments made by all the response to this challenge has not been Mission Innovation countries combined cover to nations that continue to support encouraging. To be sure, major progress has rose only 13 per cent between 2015 and 2018. dirty energy. been made in important technologies like Across much of Europe – including France, Moreover, the United States has solar panels, wind turbines and lithium-ion Italy, the Netherlands and Scandinavia – as largely abdicated its leadership role on the batteries, which has enabled massive cost well as in South Korea, spending decreased, other dimension of Mission Innovation: reductions and rapid diffusion. Overall, while rising a paltry 2-3 per cent in Japan international scientific and technological though, patent applications for climate and Germany. cooperation. Mission Innovation has change mitigation technologies, a useful These data, gathered by the identified eight global challenges where predictor of future innovation, have been International Energy Agency, contradict greater cooperation has the potential in decline globally since 2011. This decline official statements. The chair of the to dramatically accelerate progress, was consistent across all the major nations most recent meeting of energy ministers such as smart grids, carbon capture and except China. It has been most pronounced disingenuously reported that Mission sustainable biofuels. Each challenge is led in renewable energy, carbon capture and Innovation was “on track”. That is true by two to four countries. India and the EU smart grid technologies. only in the most legalistic sense: many hold three of these leadership roles apiece An important factor in this decline has nations set their spending baselines and are participating members in all of the undoubtedly been lower oil and natural unrealistically low, so they could easily other challenges. The United States is not gas prices over the last 10 years. After rising claim to have doubled them. The gap leading any. steadily through most of 2000s to a peak of between talk and action on energy Like the Paris Agreement, Mission over $100 per barrel, the price of crude oil innovation is disturbing. Innovation is only a starting point if the dropped abruptly in the wake of the global Despite announcing its withdrawal world is to truly avert the most damaging recession. Cheaper prices for high-carbon from the Paris Agreement, the United impacts of climate change. More ambitious energy resources weaken the incentive for States’ clean energy RD&D budget has efforts from national governments are low-carbon energy innovation, because grown nearly 15 per cent since the signing needed. They should begin by fulfilling they make competition in end-use markets of Mission Innovation. At $6.8 billion, it is their commitments on RD&D spending much more challenging. larger than those of the countries ranked and international cooperation, but then go Public policymakers could level the second and third (China and Japan) put beyond them and embrace a wider range of playing field by imposing a carbon price together. US spending on basic energy policy tools as well.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 28 TECHNOLOGY

Tailored climate action How can we harness the power of Technology Needs Assessments to accelerate collaborative climate action?

By Sara Trærup, Head of Section, Technology – Transitions and System Innovation, UNEP DTU Partnership

Harvesting tomatoes in Daraa governate, Syria. Despite the ongoing civil war - which was at least in part triggered by climate change - Syria has submitted a request to CTCN to undertake a TNA. © Andrei Gryaznov/TASS via Getty Images

nderstanding what kind of TNAs were already introduced under From now on, supporting developing technologies are best suited to a the UNFCCC at COP7. This defined them countries to conduct effective TNAs and Ucountry’s specific climate change as “a set of country-driven activities that implement Technology Action Plans (TAPs) situation is the starting point for effective identify and determine the mitigation and will be instrumental to the UNFCCC climate action. Before investing in adaptation technology priorities of Parties” process. A TAP is a medium to long-term technologies that reduce greenhouse gas and “particularly developing Parties” plan for increasing the implementation of (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate change (UNFCCC, 2001). TNAs are central to the identified technologies. It outlines actions impacts, it is essential to assess and analyse work of Parties to the UNFCCC. They to be undertaken – further elaborated as a country’s specific needs. This information present an opportunity to track an evolving project concept notes. can then be used to set priorities and identify need for new equipment, techniques, appropriate technologies. practical knowledge and skills. The TNA process Technology Needs Assessments These are all necessary to mitigate GHG It is crucial to involve all relevant (TNAs) are designed to do precisely this emissions and reduce the vulnerability stakeholders throughout the TNA process. type of in-depth analysis. Using national of sectors and livelihoods to the adverse Any given technology is more likely sustainable development plans as their impacts of climate change. TNAs were to be understood, accepted, supported starting point, TNAs strengthen countries’ directly referenced in the Paris Agreement. and implemented at all levels – from ability to analyse and prioritise climate They also play a central role under the government ministries to farmers and technologies. TNAs can therefore guide ‘implementation’ theme in the newly households – if all stakeholders are nations towards implementing the United agreed UNFCCC Technology Framework, involved. Nations Framework Convention on Climate which is set to guide the Technology The TNA process is organised around Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement. Mechanism of the UNFCCC. three main activities:

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies TECHNOLOGY 29

1. to identify and prioritise mitigation and 2. co-development of TNAs and TAPs processes. TNAs should also help create adaptation technologies for selected with nationally appropriate mitigation a pipeline of programmes and projects sectors; actions and Nationally Determined targeted at the GCF and other sources of 2. to identify, analyse and address barriers Contributions (NDCs) – as well as multilateral and private finance. hindering the deployment and diffusion GEF, Green Climate Fund (GCF) and In parallel, or as an intermediate step, of the prioritised technologies, including Adaptation Fund pipelines or country countries can approach the CTCN. They the enabling framework for those programmes; this helps to mainstream can expect their requests to be ‘favourably technologies; TNA outcomes in overarching national considered’ provided they make explicit a 3. to conduct, based on the inputs obtained strategies and programmes for climate connection with their TNA/TAPs, since the from the previous two steps, a TAP. and sustainable development; COP has mandated CTCN to build upon 3. development of pilots to demonstrate the TNAs. With funding from the Global technological options, with financial Environment Facility (GEF), UN support from multilateral programmes Environment (through UNEP DTU such as those managed by a range of HOW THE CTCN FITS IN Partnership) supports developing countries development partners, and technical through the global TNA project. The support and advice from the Climate The CTCN is implementing technology project helps countries determine their Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) projects in 93 countries on a wide technology priorities to mitigate GHG (training, pilot development, writing of array of adaptation and mitigation emissions and adapt to climate change. concept notes for funding proposals, sectors, from agriculture, disaster- For each of the above steps in the and so on). preparedness and energy to TNA process, UNEP DTU Partnership has industry, pollution, water and waste developed guidance and methodologies. TNAs and NDCs management. These interventions These are available through the project It is more important than ever to plug the come at the request of developing website (tech-action.org). For example, in TNA process into existing sector-specific countries as they seek to fulfil their prioritising technologies, countries use and other ongoing plans and activities, such Nationally Determined Contributions multi-criteria analysis. This facilitates the as those related to the NDCs. Thanks to the (NDCs) and achieve their Sustainable participation of stakeholders and allows for information that TNAs provide about the Development Goals (SDGs). normative judgements, while incorporating potential, ability and scale of climate change It is therefore one of the premiere technical expertise into the TNA. technologies, they can play a unique role in initiatives helping nations raise and To ensure that men and women benefit the implementation of NDCs. realise their commitments under equally from the actions set out in TNAs, Actions identified in the TAPs the Paris Agreement. CTCN helps and that gender inequalities in activities highlight what needs to be done to countries to identify where they face and outcomes are reduced or eliminated, activate robust market systems and challenges in meeting their goals and gender considerations are taken into the enabling conditions for technology provide quick, targeted interventions account throughout the entire TNA diffusion and uptake. These actions in order to keep them moving forward. process and its outcomes. By systematically can in turn strengthen longer-term CTCN supports: mainstreaming gender issues into the TNA, strategies elaborated in NDCs and • technology prioritisation and it is possible to ensure that women and national adaptation plans and potentially piloting, men have equal opportunities in relation to raise ambitions by making the means of • policy and regulatory guidance, the TAPs. implementation more concrete. • capacity building, An analysis of 71 countries’ TNAs • entrepreneurship and market Success factors for implementation and NDCs showed that more than 70 per creation, A 2019 UNFCCC paper analyses success cent of countries who have done a TNA • and upscaling and financing. factors for implementing technology have integrated the results into their priorities, as identified and analysed on NDC. For example, priority technologies CTCN leverages the expertise of the TNAs and TAPs. Some of these success identified and assessed through the UN Environment Programme and factors include: TNA process were included in Lebanon’s UNIDO, along with a global network of 1. engaging stakeholders and ministries NDC. When creating its NDC, Lebanon over 500 civil society, finance, private- during the TNA and post-TNA to was able to build upon an existing sector, and research institutions, include TNA-prioritised technologies assessment of prioritised technologies, as well as Nationally Determined in new or ongoing government complete with an analysis of the country’s Entities from over 160 countries in the programmes, so that sector-level goals barriers and potential enabling measures Global South and North, to provide can be achieved with help of concrete to overcome them. customised technology solutions. actions from TNAs and TAPs; this also Flexibility is key. Indeed, TNAs should helps substantiate requests for funding be used to formulate actions that can be from international programmes; integrated into governments’ own planning

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 30 TECHNOLOGY

Case study: Harnessing wind energy in south Benin A Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) project examined the potential to develop a small wind turbine sector in Benin to bring power to rural communities in the West African country.

By Peter Vissers, Partner and Strategic Advisor, and Stan van den Broek, Advisor, Partners for Innovation BV

ike many coastal and windy regions currently lack power, it could also create Participants in sub-Saharan Africa, Benin wants to jobs for the local population. The CTCN and the Department of New and Lharness the power of wind to generate Benin therefore asked the Climate Renewable Energy (Benin) commissioned electricity. The south of the country, with Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) the project. We at Partners for Innovation its coastline on the South Atlantic, is to help test the feasibility of establishing BV implemented it. We are a consultancy particularly rich in this natural resource. a locally manufactured small wind firm based in the Netherlands and Niger Yet despite its geographical advantage technology sector in the country. with experience in renewable energy in this regard, Benin’s wind power project management and feasibility studies. generation has not taken off. One of Project objective We worked with a Dutch wind turbine the factors is cost: buying turbines from Benin’s Department of New and Renewable specialist, a Beninese energy technology external suppliers is expensive. Energy requested support to conduct a manufacturing and supply-chain specialist, But what if Benin could develop and feasibility study and develop an action plan and a Togolese gender assessment specialist. build its own small-scale wind turbines? By for setting up a small-scale wind turbine Benin’s country representative and setting up a local industry, wind technology sector. The study was to identify both CTCN focal point for the project was may become more cost-competitive and barriers and opportunities for creating a Raphiou Aminou, of Benin’s Directorate easier to maintain. Besides providing local manufacturing industry of small wind General for Climate Change. electricity to rural communities who turbines, as well as a market with potential for growth. Challenges The project looked at both demand and A key challenge was to keep the project supply. On the demand side, would enough focused and to manage expectations. Direct people in rural communities currently and regular communication between without power want and use the electricity Partners for Innovation, the CTCN and produced by local wind turbines? On the Benin’s Department of New and Renewable By setting up a supply side, is there sufficient potential Energy helped to achieve this. The Energy to establish and grow the infrastructure, Department also organised meetings local industry, wind finance, skills and workforce to successfully with local stakeholders, which helped to technology may develop the sector? The objective of the convince the latter of the benefits of the action plan was to look at the immediate project, as well as generating widespread become more cost- to long-term actions needed to develop the media coverage. competitive and sector. It looked at four areas: The project showed that future success • sector programming; of the sector will depend upon utilising the easier to maintain • targeted implementation; relevant networks of project participants to • coalition building; organise high-profile, in-country meetings • knowledge development. with key partners and decision-makers.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies TECHNOLOGY 13

Ouidah, Benin. The southern coast of Benin benefits from abundant wind potential. © Peeter Viisimaa/Getty Images

Another challenge was how to transfer The project’s action plan contributes the potential to generate income through technical knowledge and expertise to the to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) exporting small wind turbine components, local workforce – an essential element of 13 on climate action, as it provides clear systems and knowledge. the sector’s future success. One of the key steps to follow for stimulating clean energy lessons learnt from the project was the production in Benin. And we hope that need for international technical experts to the project will also help to engage private KEY FACTS cooperate with local experts. This will allow investors in climate action – one of the key for both in-depth knowledge transfer and targets of the UN Framework Convention lower production costs as expertise grows on Climate Change. Organisations involved: within Benin. CTCN, Department of New and Other benefits Renewable Energy (Benin), Partners Climate action The project contributes to Benin’s NDC for Innovation BV (Netherlands) The project shows that enabling the goal of increasing household energy production of small wind turbines access. If the sector is developed as hoped, Budget: $83,075 in Benin has the potential to reduce some 200,000 people will have access to greenhouse gas emissions in the country’s affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern Start date: 1 July 2017 rural and peri-urban areas by 5 kilotons of energy (SDG 7). CO2e every year. The project highlights the potential Completion date: 31 July 2018 It will also contribute to the country’s to develop local industrial capacity and Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) provide jobs for local communities, Benefits: goal of increasing domestic renewable particularly young people. The results of Identified potential to develop wind energy production. In total, Benin can the CTCN’s technical assistance also have turbine sector in Benin, which could expect to produce 7.7 GWh of renewable the potential to be replicated and scaled cut 5 kilotons of CO2e, generate 7.7 energy each year if all the locations up at regional level through relevant GWh of renewable energy per year identified in the project are electrified. financial mechanisms – both institutional and connect 200,000 people to clean The project shows that wind speeds are and private. energy supply. high and reliable enough for generating Longer-term, as the sector matures, significant kilowatt hours of energy. the project shows that Benin would have

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 32 TECHNOLOGY

The power of renewables Renewable energy can lead the way to sustainable development and climate mitigation.

By Francesco La Camera, Director-General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

On the borders of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Banc d’Arguin National Park in Mauritania, the new village of Chami is powered by a combination of wind and solar. © Freya Morales/UNDP

t the Climate Action Summit in Solar, wind and other renewable energy farm can be completed in a matter of eight September 2019, UN Secretary- sources, together with improved energy to 12 months, depending upon the size and AGeneral António Guterres efficiency, represent the most effective and complexity of the project. Building a fossil urged the global community to act. An ready solution to reduce energy-related fuel power plant takes years, and a nuclear environmental catastrophe that once emissions. They are practical, affordable plant even longer. In addition, renewable seemed abstract is now at our doorstep. and climate-safe. No other technology energy systems can be sized precisely We have less than 11 years to cut offers as plausible a path to reducing to the needs, however small or large the carbon dioxide emissions and limit the energy-related emissions within a decade. project requires. rise of global temperatures, according to In what has become a race against time, Speed is not the only advantage of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate the universal availability and immediately renewable energy. In tackling climate Change report. Otherwise, our world faces deployable nature of renewable energy change with renewables, we can lead irreversible consequences. makes it a most potent climate response. the world into a new age of sustainable Holding the line on rising global The speed at which renewable energy development. The post-carbon era promises temperatures by the end of the next decade plants can be built and made operational is to bring opportunity even to the poorest is a daunting challenge. But it is possible. impressive. Installing a solar PV and wind countries, lighting up economies left behind

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies TECHNOLOGY 33

Renewables are also key to climate resilience in developing countries. While Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have only marginally contributed to climate change, these nations are acutely vulnerable to its consequences. Many of them show The opportunities strong ambition in the pursuit of renewable presented by energy, which can deliver climate resilience, energy security and energy access. sustainable energy The SIDS renewable energy initiative, should prompt global which was launched at the Climate Summit, is a testament to this. Developed leaders, investors by Palau and the Alliance of Small Islands and policymakers to States (AOSIS), the initiative includes an rethink strategies objective to achieve by 2030 as much as 100 per cent renewable energy, in particular in the power sector. Its implementation will leverage the already operational and renewables, is imperative. We have to turn successful SIDS Lighthouses Initiative. our back on coal entirely. IRENA together with UNDP and By 2050, a rapid uptake of renewables SEforALL, in cooperation with the GCF, combined with energy efficiency and also launched at the Climate Summit an electrification would avoid $10 trillion of initiative that aims to unlock the capital energy subsidies heavily weighted towards necessary to advance climate-resilient the fossil fuel industry. In fact, every dollar low-carbon energy solutions – especially in spent on the energy transition would offer those countries that need it the most, such returns of up to three to seven times in as the LDCs and SIDS. improved human health, lower climate The Climate Investment Platform (CIP) related expenditure and reduced subsidies. is an inclusive partnership welcoming Finally, continuous cost reductions for all stakeholders including governments, renewable energy provide a big opportunity. international organisations and the private In many countries, including the United Arab sector to scale-up climate action and Emirates where IRENA is based, generating translate ambitious national climate targets power from renewables is now cheaper than into concrete investments on the ground. the least cost traditional energy alternative. We are convinced that the CIP will help This trend is bound to continue. bridge the gap between supply and demand The opportunities presented by the to accelerate capital and scale up climate shift to sustainable energy should prompt resilient investments, allowing countries global leaders, investors and policy makers to raise their climate targets and develop to rethink strategies. IRENA is doing just policy environments that allow investment that. We have built a knowledge framework by resource inequality. A climate-safe energy to flow. around renewable energy that has become path would grow the global economy by an indispensable source of global data. 2.5 per cent and would create more new, Investing in renewables But the time has come for action on the sustainable energy jobs than those lost To reach the transformational speed ground. That’s why we are adjusting our due to the phase-out of fossil fuels. Energy required, global energy investment must structure, focus and goals to move closer to transition is a tremendous opportunity for overwhelmingly pivot to renewables. implementation and to position ourselves developing countries. Annual investments in renewables would as a partner on the ground to our members. According to our analysis, sub-Saharan have to rise from today’s $330 billion to The message is clear. It’s possible to Africa could have, by 2050, the highest more than $750 billion per year. In other hold the line on global emissions within shares of renewable energy in primary words, an investment gap of more than the next 11 years. It’s possible to avert energy supply with levels far above 80 per $400 billion needs to be closed – and irreversible climate change and mitigate cent. However, Africa’s energy leapfrog will quickly. Redirecting $19 trillion of fossil the impacts of a warming planet. And it’s only be possible if the flow of capital to fuel investments earmarked until 2050 into possible to achieve a global energy system projects can be scaled up significantly, and more socially and economically beneficial that is equitable, accessible and clean. the necessary human capacity can be built. low-carbon technologies including Renewables are to lead the charge.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 34 DUBAI ELECTRICITY AND WATER AUTHORITY SPONSORED FEATURE

Dubai driving the renewable industry Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is the cornerstone of Dubai’s plans to be the world’s lowest-carbon-footprint city by 2050

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the world’s largest single-site solar park

he UAE has already taken steps to bid farewell to its Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park last barrel of oil, by striking a balance between sustainable The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest T development and maintaining a clean, healthy and single-site solar park in the world, with a planned capacity of safe environment. 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030, at a total investment of AED 50 The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 aims to achieve an energy mix billion (USD 13.6 billion) and will eventually save approximately that combines renewable and clean energy sources to balance its 6.5 million tonnes per annum in emissions. The solar park will economic requirements with environmental goals. Up to 2050, the use a range of photovoltaic and concentrated solar power (CSP) UAE will invest AED 600 billion to meet growing energy demand and technologies to provide clean energy to the citizens and residents ensure the sustainable growth of the economy. of Dubai. It incorporates an Innovation Centre, a Research & Climate change remains a priority on the UAE Federal agenda. Development Centre, testing facilities and a solar-powered water In 2017, the UAE Federal Government introduced a National Climate desalination plant. Change Plan, as a roadmap to mitigate and adapt to climate change The solar park is also using public-private partnerships to in the UAE until 2050. drive its expansion. It has successfully adopted the Independent The Government of Dubai has set its own ambitious strategies, Power Producer (IPP) model and is being developed in phases, such as the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy, with a target to with the 13MW first phase becoming operational in 2013 using reduce carbon emissions by 16% by 2021, which it has already photovoltaic panels. The 200MW photovoltaic second phase exceeded with recorded emissions reduced by 19% by the end became operational in March 2017. The 800MW photovoltaic third of 2018. phase will be operational by 2020 and is being developed in three The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims to provide 75% of main stages. Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2050. The strategy The third phase of the solar park, with a capacity of 800MW consists of five main pillars: infrastructure, legislation, funding, using photovoltaic solar panels, recorded another world record in building capacities and skills, and having an environmentally the cost of photovoltaic solar power for this phase of the solar park, friendly energy mix. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar at a Levelised Cost of Energy (LCoE) of USD 2.99 cents per kilowatt- Park is one of the key projects to achieve Dubai’s vision to make its hour. The first stage of the 800MW has a capacity of 200MW and carbon footprint the lowest in the world by 2050. became operational in May 2018. It uses unique technologies, SPONSORED FEATURE DUBAI ELECTRICITY AND WATER AUTHORITY 35

manufacturers to check their properties, analyse results and use them in R&D. The solar testing facility will focus on mitigating the effects of dust soiling on photovoltaic panels, and developing technology to withstand the regional climate. The Dubai Clean Energy Introducing hydrogen to the UAE energy market DEWA is working to develop a solar-powered hydrogen electrolysis Strategy 2050 aims to pilot facility at the solar park. It will produce green hydrogen from provide 75% of Dubai’s solar power, store and use hydrogen for various downstream applications (such as re-electrification and re-injection of power total power output from into the grid) as well as transportation and mobility. clean energy by 2050 The pilot facility will research, test and demonstrate end-to- end technical solutions related to the development of a hydrogen economy in the UAE, which could play a role in addressing the energy challenges of the future. including over 800,000 solar modules that use robots for cleaning to maintain efficiency. This stage provides more than 60,000 A pilot solar-powered desalination plant residences with electricity, reducing over 270,000 tonnes of carbon Finally, the solar-powered water pumping and desalination station emissions every year. The second stage has a capacity of 300MW at the solar park uses photovoltaic solar panels to desalinate water and has been operational since mid-August 2019. The third stage is with reverse osmosis technology, with a production capacity of under construction and will be operational by 2020. 50 cubic metres (around 11,000 gallons) a day. The project is a The fourth phase of the solar park is the largest single-site collaboration with the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia), under solar IPP project in the world that combines CSP and photovoltaic the umbrella of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global technology. This phase will use three technologies to produce Initiatives, to find innovative and sustainable solutions to combat 950MW of clean energy, which will include a total of 700MW from global water challenges and provide clean, potable drinking water. CSP: 600MW from a parabolic basin complex and 100MW from a solar tower; as well as 250MW from photovoltaic panels. This phase will provide clean energy for 320,000 residences and will reduce 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year. The Innovation Centre is a key part of the solar park The project will cover 44 square kilometres, and the world’s lowest LCoE for CSP of USD 7.3 cents per kilowatt-hour combined with the lowest LCoE for photovoltaic technology of USD 2.4 cents per kilowatt-hour. The project will have the tallest solar tower in the world at 260 metres in height and the largest thermal storage capacity of 15 hours; allowing for energy availability round the clock. The solar power projects that are currently operational at the solar park have a capacity of 713MW. DEWA is currently implementing three more projects with a capacity of 1,250MW at the solar park. Recently, the fifth phase of the solar park was announced with a capacity of 900MW electricity using photovoltaic panels, which will increase the current total capacity under construction to 2,863MW, demonstrating DEWA’s intent to reach its 5,000MW capacity target by 2030.

DEWA’s Research & Development Centre The solar park not only combines the efforts of the public and private sectors in solar power, but it is also home to one of the largest research & development (R&D) centres in the region. The R&D Centre focuses on research into producing electricity using solar power, integration of smart grids and water.

On-site solar testing facilities The solar park features two solar testing facilities: the first tests photovoltaic solar panels, the other focuses on CSP. The facility is currently testing 30 photovoltaic panels from global specialist 36 TECHNOLOGY

Energy efficiency, the obvious first response The technology and expertise are there, so what’s stopping countries from maximising their efficient use of energy?

By Brian Motherway, Head of Energy Efficiency, International Energy Agency (IEA)

nergy efficiency is one of the most and emissions. However, energy intensity effective means to mitigate climate – the energy required to produce one unit Echange. According to analysis by of global gross domestic product (GDP) – the IEA, energy efficiency measures can improved by just over 1.3 per cent in 2018. deliver nearly half of the total emissions This is well below what is possible from reductions needed to meet the goals of greater action on energy efficiency, and is the Paris Agreement. Crucially, all the the third year in a row that improvements efficiency measures needed to deliver that in global energy intensity have slowed. volume of emissions reductions are cost- effective, and based on the use of existing Raising the profile technologies. In other words, efficiency is In light of this global efficiency slowdown, available now. there is a growing recognition across the In addition to mitigating climate planet that efficiency efforts need to be change, energy efficiency offers a range stepped up. For example, a new high-level of social, economic and environmental Global Commission for Urgent Action benefits. It enables people to benefit on Energy Efficiency was established in from all the good things energy brings, June 2019 to examine how progress on but at a lower cost and with a lower energy efficiency can be rapidly accelerated environmental impact. Efficient industries through new and stronger policy action. are more competitive, efficient countries Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar is are more energy-secure, and efficient honorary chair of the initiative, which economies. In that respect, policies buildings are more comfortable, healthier includes heads of state, current and former are critical for transforming high-level and cheaper to run. ministers, CEOs and efficiency thought ambitions into concrete actions. Without leaders. Supported by IEA analysis, the policies, the potential of energy efficiency A worrying slowdown Global Commission will focus on key policy simply cannot be realised. For example, Despite the huge potential of energy actions to drive global efficiency action, with more than two thirds of global energy efficiency, the world continues to face producing a concise set of clear, actionable use not covered by any mandatory energy challenges in capturing its benefits. In recommendations by the summer of 2020. efficiency policies, a great deal of work 2018, global energy demand grew by 2.1 per remains to be done in this regard. cent, the largest increase since 2010. This Transforming ambition into action Fortunately, governments wishing to increase in demand was accompanied While it is critical to reserve a seat for realise more of the benefits of efficiency do by the highest rate of growth in energy- efficiency at the top table, so to speak, there not need to start from scratch. Decades of sector greenhouse gas emissions since 2011. is equally a need to ensure that efficiency accumulated global experience demonstrate Energy efficiency is helping to offset the measures are implemented ‘on the ground’ that well-designed energy efficiency impact of some of that growth in demand both in emerging as well as developed policies can bring huge social and economic

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies TECHNOLOGY 37

Air conditioners in Singapore. Air conditioning is the fastest growing source of energy consumption in buildings, causing a doubling of building-based consumption since 2000. © Jaime Murcia/Alamy Stock Photo

benefits. The Climate Technology Centre they meet a number of conditions. and Network (CTCN) has worked with 41 Accurate market data, for example, is different governments around the world to critical to ensure standards are set at levels deliver a range of energy efficiency projects. that move the needle on efficiency without Minimum energy performance creating undue costs for companies and standards (MEPS) are often the key consumers. Proper implementation and Well-designed component of any efficiency policy enforcement, backed by incentives and energy efficiency framework. MEPS regulate the amount of penalties if necessary, are also important to energy consumed by technologies, such as ensure standards work as intended. policies can bring refrigerators, light bulbs or electric motors, huge social and which account for more than half of global Further action electricity consumption, according to the While over 80 countries have adopted economic benefits IEA. They can be cost-effective and act MEPS, covering more than 50 different as a cornerstone of governments’ climate types of technologies in different economic change mitigation programmes, assuming sectors, more action is needed. This is true

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 38 TECHNOLOGY

especially when it comes to mitigating the costs dramatically through economies emissions impact from a rapid growth in of scale. India, for example, is deploying sales of energy, using technologies without millions of efficient lights through a undermining their positive economic and national programme called UJALA. This social benefits. has already delivered more than 360 Cooling equipment, notably air million lamps across the country, providing conditioning (AC) units, is an important access to affordable lighting for millions of Countries need to example of this dynamic. Energy use in poor rural and urban households. act. Decisive action buildings – largely from AC – has doubled These are just two examples of how since 2000, making it the fastest-growing efficiency policies can allow governments on efficiency can source of energy consumption in buildings, to achieve climate and energy objectives transform a worrying IEA figures show. Driven by population while addressing a range of other social, growth and rising incomes, particularly in economic and environmental concerns. slowdown into an the hottest parts of the world, global sales With rapid innovation in the field of inspiring success of AC units are set to soar. digitalisation, efficiency policies have an Without efficiency gains, space-cooling even greater potential to transform the energy use could more than double way that energy is used, with important between now and 2040, with worrying implications for policymakers. implications for the climate. Access to Digitalisation enables much greater affordable cooling is an important social levels of precise control of energy use, issue – in some cases, it can be a matter of at very low cost. It also enables a shift life or death. In that respect, robust MEPS away from thinking only about end-use future. With the right support and for AC, for example, can help governments efficiency (e.g. more efficient appliances) attention from governments, and with ensure that their populations get access to a system-wide perspective. In an age smart, effective policies, energy efficiency to cooling services without placing undue of fast-growing deployment of clean and can take a leading role in this story. stress on the climate. cheap energy sources, particularly on Countries need to act. Decisive action MEPS are critical for achieving a electricity grids, a vital goal is not just to on efficiency can transform a worrying gradual transformation of markets maximise the efficiency of end use but also slowdown into an inspiring success. and replacing inefficient with efficient the efficiency of the whole system. With a wealth of global experience in equipment. Bulk procurement of efficiency policymaking, and in an era of digital services or products, meanwhile, can get Conclusion innovation, there is no reason why efficient technologies into the hands of Now is the time to open a new chapter countries should wait any longer to realise consumers rapidly, while bringing down in the story of a more sustainable energy the full potential of efficiency.

GREEN COOLING AFRICA INITIATIVE (GCAI)

Context emissions and energy use • Analyse the technological gap Expected results Refrigeration and air can be substantially reduced. between existing technologies • Potential GHG mitigation conditioning appliances (RACs) Alternative technologies are and internationally available of 30 per cent over current are rapidly spreading across internationally available but not green cooling technologies. estimates through 2030 Africa. As the electricity in common in Africa. Together, • Propose recommendations. • Reduced electricity most African countries is still the CTCN and the International • Develop regional and country consumption generated through burning of Climate Initiative of the specific technology roadmap • Decreased use of fluorinated fossil fuels, increased demand German Environment Ministry recommendations. and chemical substances for energy results in increased implemented the Green Cooling • Capacity building and NAMA that produce persistent greenhouse gas (GHG) Africa initiative, which aims at institutional setup. atmospheric wastes emissions. establishing a prototype best • Seek funding and/or co- • Sustainable development With the use of highly practice approach for Ghana, funding for implementation. benefits (income and energy efficient RACs and Kenya, Mauritius and Namibia. • Key technologies addressed. employment generation, the substitution of high • Efficient air conditioning foreign exchange savings, global warming potential CTCN response systems. increased energy security, (GWP) refrigerants with low • Establish a robust GHG • Shift ot cooling agent with etc.). GWP refrigerants and foam Inventory for selected, priority lower GWPs. blowing substances, both GHG cooling sub-sectors.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies PSIPW 9th Ad 276x210mm_Final.indd 1 2/11/2018 10:19:53 AM PSIPW.indd 1 08/06/2019 19:44 40 TECHNOLOGY

Unlocking access to water Just as the climate crisis affects water resources, water infrastructure systems aggravate climate change by producing direct and indirect greenhouse gases (GHGs). Can technology provide an answer to this conundrum?

By Thomas Panella, Chief of Water Sector Group and Stephane Bessadi, Senior Water Utility Specialist, Asian Development Bank (ADB)

echnology has always been a driver infrastructure and services in the region and wastewater systems have their own of the water supply sector. As cities have mostly been insufficient, significantly carbon footprint from indirect emissions, T mushroomed and demand for water lagging behind the rate of urbanisation. Not due to the electricity consumed for increased, the sector relied on local water only are resources constrained, but so are operations (such as pumping). They are also resources until water purification techniques the governance and organisation of the responsible for direct GHG emissions during were introduced in the early 19th century. institutions responsible for them. Many wastewater treatment. While these systems Then, as urban populations grew, the suffer from outdated technical, managerial may not be major contributors to global need for improved public health saw the and tariff models. warming (unlike the fossil fuels and livestock development of piped water systems. These In the last three decades, climate has industries), we still need action to minimise utilised various pipe materials throughout become a compounding factor. Climate their emissions. This is especially true if we the 20th century: copper, cast iron, steel and, change, including the fact that changes consider that water and wastewater coverage later, PVC and other plastics. These pipes in precipitation patterns are expected to in developing countries is bound to expand enabled the spread of water transmission intensify floods and droughts, is affecting as these countries progress. and distribution systems, providing water the quantity of available surface and Water utilities need to find energy to households, communities and industries. groundwater. So we urgently need new efficiency gains and clean-energy In turn, this spurred economic development ways to protect and conserve these precious alternatives. But they also need to find a and longer lifespans. resources. Meanwhile, sea-level rise is better way to manage water resources, if they causing saline intrusion into coastal aquifers, are to serve an ever-growing population in Demand and supply contaminating freshwater quality. a way that does not harm the planet and Today, the amount of fresh water needed The latest UN report on progress future generations. to satisfy global demand is enormous. towards the Sustainable Development So, can technology transform the water Although water makes up 70 per cent of the Goals (SDGs) presents a bleak update on supply sector again, as it did in the past? Earth’s surface, less than 3 per cent is fresh SDG 6 (“ensure availability and sustainable The answer is yes. In Asia and the water, and less than 1 per cent is accessible. management of water and sanitation for Pacific, where the need is particularly acute, From irrigating farmlands to producing all”). The report states: “More efficient use water utilities need to capitalise on the jeans and paper, fresh water is required and management of water are critical to digital revolution to optimise infrastructure, everywhere. And yet it could soon be lost in addressing the growing demand for water, operations and institutions. The use of many places around the world. More than a threats to water security and the increasing billion people currently live in water-scarce frequency and severity of droughts and regions. By 2050, nearly 5.7 billion people floods resulting from climate change.” will face water restrictions for at least one The cases of severe water shortage in month every year, according to a 2019 World a number of cities, including Chennai and Resources Institute report. Manila in 2019, are a stark reminder that The World Health Organization water resources are depleting while urban Water utilities estimated that in 2015, 2.1 billion people water demand is continuously increasing. worldwide lacked safely managed drinking need to find energy water. In Asia and the Pacific, there are Water and GHGs efficiency gains still about 260 million people relying on While the effects of climate change on water unimproved water sources, using drinking access are known, we must not overlook and clean-energy water from an unprotected dug well or the fact that the infrastructure needed to alternatives unprotected spring. The development address water supply issues or improve and management of water resources, access to water requires a lot of energy. Water

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies TECHNOLOGY 41

Students fill their water bottles at a high school in West Bengal, India. The rural population in the region is heavily reliant on groundwater that is at risk from arsenic and fluoride contamination. © Hamish John Appleby/ADB

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 42 TECHNOLOGY

(supervisory control and data acquisition) people access to clean water, it has also system, which integrates remotely connected meant less exposure to waterborne diseases flow meters. The SCADA will help the state and increased productivity and livelihood, to more efficiently control the quantity and particularly for women and children. quality of water resources supplied. It will So, investment in water technology can To achieve SDG 6, also allow it to detect anomalies, such as help to meet the targets within SDG 6. Target inadequate water resources or pollution, so 6.1 is to “achieve universal and equitable innovation matters. that swift corrective actions can be taken. access to safe and affordable drinking water It starts by applying Every drop counts in today’s context. for all”, while target 6.4 is to “substantially So much so that one of the major challenges increase water-use efficiency across all technology for to access and supply is non-revenue water sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals good water utility (NRW). This is water lost to leakages and and supply of fresh water to address water pilferage stemming from low-quality scarcity, as well as substantially reduce the operations infrastructure, insufficient funding and number of people suffering from water inadequate management of the water scarcity”. Yet the return on investment for network. adopting these technologies far exceeds technology, properly operated, will allow These issues are aggravated by low water addressing SDG 6. utilities to do two key things. First, improve tariffs and inappropriate governance and The development of an equitable access to water in the face of climate change regulation of the water service. While NRW and continuous water supply in a city and water scarcity. And second, reduce the levels are generally between 10 and 20 per also supports SDG 4 on good health and climate impact of water supply systems cent in developed countries, they are around wellbeing, SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 10 through improved efficiency and alternative 50 per cent on average in Asia and the Pacific on reduced inequality, SDG 11 on sustainable clean-energy sources. and can reach up to 75 per cent in highly cities and communities, and SDG 1 on ending deteriorated systems. Imagine the amount of poverty. Improving access to water to tackle water wasted – water that has already been climate change sourced, treated and pumped! Reducing the climate impact of water Cities typically use water from surface, Smart systems help to better understand systems underground and (to a lesser extent) assets’ performance by integrating geographic Maintaining the energy efficiency of water desalinated water. A 2014 study by Julie information and mapping systems with asset systems can be a challenge. Their energy Padowski and Steven Gorelick, Global and customer management systems. Utilities use is heavily dependent on the amount of analysis of urban water supply vulnerability, can now also use pressure management and water pumped. On average, about 60 per looked at 71 cities supplied by surface leak detection technology to reduce water cent of the energy used in water systems water. The study showed that 45 per cent of losses, especially when leaks are not visible is used for pumping (according to INNERS these cities will become vulnerable due to from the street. The technology can also 2015 literature review: An overview of energy increased agricultural and urban demands help them to achieve continuous pressurised used within the urban water cycle). These by 2040. supply. This, in turn, has a positive impact systems are greatly affected by terrain, As for underground water, its on infrastructure and water quality, pressure management and NRW (due usage and exploitation should respect since it minimises pressure surges and to pipe degradation, illegal connections aquifer capacity. Over-abstraction contamination. Finally, smart water meters and inadequate operations management). causes reduction of the water table and provide valuable data about the amount of Therefore, the greatest impact on energy use contamination of the aquifer. It can also water supplied to and used by customers. for water systems is to effectively manage cause land subsidence, as in the case of In Dhaka, Bangladesh, ADB helped the pressure within the system, which can also Jakarta and many other coastal cities in public utility to become a model for the rest reduce NRW. Indonesia, prompting the government to of the South Asia region by reducing NRW For wastewater systems, the energy consider moving its capital city. When no from over 50 per cent to less than 10 per use and potential production of energy other sources are available, expensive and cent. It did this through the development of or resources is typically more complex. energy-demanding desalination plants are district metered areas (DMAs), along with However, the biggest use of energy usually the final option. other important interventions. The DMAs comes from wastewater treatment, Obviously, pushing nature’s limits in this included flow meters, which enabled the specifically secondary biological treatment manner is not sustainable, even though the utility to control flows and pressures at the through aeration. Systems are now capable current world economy and development local level. of operating at ‘energy neutral’, when model may argue otherwise. Innovative As a result, over five million slum considering both treatment and recovery of technologies already exist to better manage dwellers now have continuous water supply. energy or resources. Advanced wastewater water resources with accuracy and reliability. Previously there was limited or intermittent treatment systems have been developed In Rajasthan, India, ADB is supporting supply, or people had to make do with to hydrolyse, dry or stabilise biosolids and the government to introduce a SCADA contaminated water. Aside from giving produce energy and organic soil fertilisers,

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for instance. The systems have also been The lack of genuine radical action The views expressed in this publication are those used to extract energy in the form of heat in galvanised youth worldwide to take to the of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the colder climates and to generate hydropower streets in September 2019 for a climate views and policies of the Asian Development on wastewater treatment outfalls. strike. Water and wastewater systems Bank (ADB) or its Board of Governors or the To address climate change vulnerability may not be the biggest factors in terms of governments they represent. and promote energy efficiency advances in climate impacts and action. But when you ADB does not guarantee the accuracy of water and wastewater technologies, ADB consider how future systems can hope to the data included in this publication and accepts developed the Screening Tool for Energy cover population needs in places like Asia no responsibility for any consequence of their Evaluation in Projects (STEEP) for water and and the Pacific, the importance of water use. The mention of specific companies or products wastewater systems in 2017. This tool has technology is obvious. of manufacturers does not imply that they are been piloted on several projects, which have To achieve SDG 6 – water and sanitation endorsed or recommended by ADB in preference identified potential energy savings ranging for all – innovation matters. It starts by to others of a similar nature that are not from 20 to over 50 per cent, compared applying technology for good water utility mentioned. with the energy use/production of the operations. In terms of cost, it is cheaper for By making any designation of or reference to a implemented design. If such savings can consumers. It terms of climate, it is healthier particular territory or geographic area, or by using be achieved, even as water and wastewater for humanity. Let us measure and reduce the term “country” in this document, ADB does not coverage increases in Asia and the Pacific, energy consumption and water losses for all intend to make any judgments as to the legal or then surely this is a welcome contribution cities – and implement genuine change. other status of any territory or area. to reduce GHG emissions. A recent study in Georgia by the Cities Development Initiative for Asia demonstrated the strong linkages between the high power costs for a water utility and high NRW. Through better leakage control, as well as recommended measures towards proper management, billing and operations could result in electricity savings of up to 50 per cent. This is a great opportunity to build the same water and energy-efficient systems around the world and in Asia and the Pacific, which would ‘kill two birds with one stone’ (or water two plants with one hose). This is especially true if we consider the internal leakages faced in many homes and buildings in developing countries. One of the co-authors of this paper was not immune to this and recently experienced a high amount of leakage in his own home. It took time to convince the WATER SUPPLY MANAGEMENT IN GRENADA landlord to get it repaired, as he is paying neither the water nor electricity bills and CTCN is currently implementing a project to improve water supply management therefore does not see it as a priority. Once in Grenada, which will use a Geographical Information Systems (GIS)-based it was fixed, the internal water pump was monitoring and control system to reduce water loss. running far less and water and electricity As a small island developing state, Grenada is one of the world’s most at-risk consumption reduced drastically. countries from climate change. The island experienced major droughts in 2010 and Now, imagine multiplying this at a 2012, which significantly impacted water supply. community level, then a city level, and then Once the project is complete, improved management systems will enable faster a country level. There will be substantial response to leaks; support preventative maintenance and the upgrading of pipelines; cost savings, which can then be channelled develop staff technical expertise; and help promote climate-smart water services to other development priorities. There and water resource management. will also be significant power savings, which will mean fewer GHG emissions. In For further information, visit: www.ctc-n.org/technical-assistance/projects/ addition, the water saved will translate to improvement-water-supply-management-through-gis-based-monitoring-and less groundwater abstraction and better managed water resources.

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The Water-Energy-Food Nexus Ensuring enough water, energy and food as the population grows and climate warms calls for smart solutions that recognise the interplay between finite resources.

By Olivier Dubois, Senior Natural Resources Officer, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Planting onions in irrigated fields in Tamil Nadu, India. The projected 60 per cent growth in global food demand by 2050 will largely be fulfilled by yield improvements, which in turn will drive demand for water and energy. © Hamish John Appleby/ADB

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ater, energy and food are essential for human wellbeing Wand sustainable development. They are also closely intertwined: water and energy are essential inputs to food production; water is often needed to produce energy; and energy is needed A WEF Nexus to pump water. But the current way we approach helps manage the links between these resources – the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus – is us to better unsustainable. On the one hand, many understand the people lack access to these essential resources. On the other, food production complex and dynamic uses already an unsustainable amount of interlinkages water and energy. between water, If we keep doing business as usual, the challenges in these sectors will only energy and food increase. By 2050, the world is forecast to need 60 per cent more food than it does now, which will mostly be procured through increasing yields, hence using relatively policy design stage (e.g. targets related more energy and water. By 2030, the global to food security, bioenergy and hydro- energy demand is projected to grow by 40 power capacity additions) and at project per cent over current levels, which in turn level (such as over pumping in solar drives further demand for water use for irrigation systems, water needs for energy production. biogas versus food production); These challenges are accentuated by • supporting the identification and the fact that we are starting from a point development of solutions that positively where, in many places, natural resources benefit multiple SDGs (such as renewable are already under stress, and the changing energy in local agri-food chains); climate is increasing that stress. • creating better links in SDG To meet these challenges, we need implementation through a process to ‘do more with less’. We also need to that avoids the ‘silo’ approach (which collaborate and be innovative in relation to prevailed with the Millennium water and energy use in food production. Development Goals). A WEF Nexus approach helps us to better understand the complex and dynamic There are particularly close interlinkages between water, energy interlinkages between the WEF Nexus and and food. It can help us to manage these climate change, which makes this approach limited resources sustainably, taking into especially relevant for implementing account different economic, social and the Paris Agreement. Energy and food environmental goals. Based on this, we can production are major drivers of climate identify trade-offs and synergies, and we change. At the same time, agriculture can design, appraise and prioritise response and water are among the most climate- options and interventions. vulnerable sectors. Water, energy and food security are Climate policies can improve water, recognised as Sustainable Development energy and food security. But they can also Goals (SDGs) in their own right. Yet the negatively impact, or be impacted by, WEF fact that progress towards most of the resources. For instance, promotion of solar SDGs is directly related to the sustainable irrigation might lead to a reduction in CO2 use of resources such as land, food, water emissions but also to an unsustainable and energy has not been given adequate increase in demand for water. Similarly, water consideration in SDG implementation. shortages caused by climate change might The WEF Nexus approach can help in the limit the possibilities to develop hydropower. implementation of the SDGs by: At the same time, policies and practices • identifying potential trade-offs at the related to the WEF sectors – such as those

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concerning climate-smart agriculture like energy clean, efficient and affordable, integrated food energy systems or using particularly in the Middle East and North wastewater to produce fertilisers or energy Africa. The beverage industry, to take – can offer solutions to both climate change another example, is reusing and recycling mitigation and adaptation. water, with reduced energy bills as a co- benefit. The use of renewable energy in Status, challenges and opportunities food chains has also gained some traction, This approach is The WEF Nexus approach is increasingly notably the worldwide interest in solar increasingly used used at project level, in particular by the irrigation. private sector. Large agri-food corporations In contrast to these positive at project level, in are adopting the approach to reduce risks developments, there are currently very particular by the in resource availability by using them more few examples of ‘mainstreaming’ the private sector efficiently, with lower costs as co-benefits. WEF Nexus approach in developing Major international energy companies, countries’ national policies, programmes meanwhile, are attracted by the market and institutions. This is explained in part potential of rural areas in developing by the major challenge: that the WEF Opportunities exist to promote the countries that are not currently connected Nexus in reality requires multi-level and WEF Nexus approach. There are resources to the energy grid. The WEF Nexus multi-stakeholder collaboration and to support the adoption of the approach, approach helps their business case because engagement. Hence the need to consider including well-proven technologies, tools it can boost income from food production different interests and needs, at all levels. and practices. There is interest from thanks to better access to energy – and It also requires policy coherence between the private sector, given the WEF Nexus hence the ability for rural people to afford WEF-related sectors. Issues that we need to approach’s potential to reduce costs (for energy. In addition, a growing number of address in particular include: example, through energy efficiency) and projects that call for WEF-Nexus-related • what are the benefits for each WEF secure assets (such as water). proposals is creating more opportunities for sector? The approach also presents small and medium enterprises. • what are the links between the opportunities for stakeholder dialogue From a technological perspective, one management of WEF resources and and public awareness-raising. Moreover, can note the increasing use of precision other development sectors? there is significant potential for strong agriculture to improve input efficiency. • what power differences are there international and national support. This Technology is also becoming more user- between stakeholder groups and levels? is because of the important enabling role friendly and affordable. More companies • how can we develop cross-sectoral of the WEF sectors and their integration are focusing their attention on water policies and programmes? in the implementation of the SDGs and use efficiency (‘use every drop of water‘). • what is the cross-sectoral institutional the Paris Agreement – if only these can be Examples include making desalination set-up? adequately recognised.

SCALING UP THE APPROACH Given the challenges in Linked to this is the need and CTCN’s online knowledge institutions at all relevant mainstreaming the use of the to support existing successful platform – provide good examples levels should therefore be an WEF Nexus in policies and WEF Nexus initiatives and fill of sharing nexus experience and integral part of all WEF Nexus programmes, actions to that knowledge gaps. Plugging information. They also support suggestions. This is an area end should adopt a stepwise shortfalls in information can existing successful WEF Nexus where the CTCN can support process through practical include analysis of: initiatives. through technical assistance. approaches – rather than • water and energy use, needs Implementing WEF Nexus Strengthening the capacity striving for the ‘ideal’. and impacts at all stages of solutions inevitably includes of local governments should be A key requirement is to agri-food chains; considering stakeholder power prioritised, as these are frontline make the case for adopting a • environmental impacts on and the local political economy. bodies for implementing such WEF Nexus approach among the use of water; WEF Nexus solutions involve solutions. policymakers and operators • gender considerations. different types of stakeholders, Progress in achieving these (technical support staff, the at different administrative levels, interventions, in particular private sector and NGOs). Knowledge platforms – such and will concern key aspects those related to stakeholder This can be achieved by as the Germany/EU-funded Water, of people’s livelihoods and processes and capacity- documenting successful WEF Energy & Food Security Resource local development. Analysing building, has been shown to Nexus cases through reports, Platform, the Energypedia/ those aspects and developing strengthen such coordination in meetings and field visits. Powering Agriculture portal accountable and inclusive an unforced, ‘organic’ way.

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Home-grown innovation Endogenous solutions to climate change can offer more effective and scalable solutions, particularly in developing countries. How can we encourage more of them to flourish?

By Ruka Sanusi, Executive Director, Ghana Climate Innovation Centre (GCIC)

A Farmerline rep demonstrates their mobile service to a farmer in Kumasi, Ghana. The platform provides information on weather, market prices and farming advice, in their native language. Founded by Ghanaian entrepreneurs, the company aims to improve security for millions of hard to reach smallholders in Africa. © Mwangi Kirubi

here is a quote that speaks bold and Without exception, every country in climate adaptation costs will range from loud on the Inspirational Wall at the the world is experiencing the devastating between $140 billion and $300 billion per Tentrance of GCIC’s offices at Ashesi effects of climate change. According to year. If left unchecked, climate change will University in Berekuso. The quote, from TT the UN Refugee Agency, on average, 21.5 reverse the progress made over the past Williams, states: “The eyes of the future are million people have been displaced by years in development – and undermine looking back at us – and they are praying climate or weather-related events each efforts to achieve the Sustainable for us to see beyond our own time.” At the year since 2008. Development Goals. GCIC, we believe that a categorical truth of Climate change directly impacts Like many countries in Africa, Ghana our times is that in climate change we are agricultural yields, as it does the world’s is highly vulnerable to global climate facing one of the world’s greatest threats – food security. According to the UN change. It ranks 114 out of 181 countries a man-made disaster at a global scale. Environment Programme, by 2030 in the climate vulnerability index.

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Climate change is projected to affect carbon back into the atmosphere. Making Ghana’s water resources, energy supplies, and washing one pair of jeans emits the crop production and food security. The same CO2 as driving 69 miles. These kind of country’s vulnerability is largely due manufacturing and consumer patterns beg to its dependence on the production of for climate innovation and breakthroughs crops that are sensitive to climate change, in what we eat, and how we live, make including cassava and cocoa, and by a lack things, fuel our cars and power our homes. Many barriers of agricultural diversification. The rapidly The truth is that we can choose to at prevent the growth changing climate has dire implications for least slow down – if not reverse – the global every aspect of human life. disaster that is climate change. We can of climate-smart Conventional manufacturing and choose to make a difference – for the world enterprises, consumer patterns are making our planet won’t get better if we take no action. warmer. Our manufacturing processes At GCIC, our work is at the nexus of especially for involve the use of plastic, steel and cement climate change, private enterprise, and small and growing – all of which contribute to climate change. economic and ecological prosperity. We businesses The refrigerant inside the air-conditioning work with entrepreneurs and enterprises units that cool our homes and offices is a in the small and growing business sector greenhouse gas. Conventional agricultural across Ghana, incubating them to start, production patterns and deforestation operate and grow their green enterprises Neat Eco Feeds produces alternative remove the trees that pull CO2 out of the with unusual intent. We proffer a different protein animal feed from maggots. It uses air. When the trees are burned, they release approach to commercial activity and a waste sourced from Neat Meat Company different premise in innovation. This is a Limited, which produces about 200–300 kg premise that pays attention to enterprise of waste weekly. The maggots are produced DEVELOPING agility. It prioritises climate-smart in 175 substrate tanks measuring 0.75 by ENTREPRENEURS innovation, clean technology, circularity, 0.75 metres. Each tank goes through 10 and climate change adaptation and cycles per month yielding 150 kg of waste IN COHORTS mitigation. from 50 kg of organic waste, totalling 26 tons of maggot feed every month. The Ghana Climate Innovation Centre Endogenous solutions products are sold to smallholder farmers (GCIC) is a pioneering business Here are just some of the endogenous in the poultry and fish farming sector. incubator, focused on developing solutions being developed by our climate This provides them with an affordable SME ventures and entrepreneurs in innovators. alternative to costly protein feed such as Ghana’s ‘Green Economy’. Neat Eco Feeds: this award-winning fishmeal. Neat Eco Feeds has the potential GCIC is part of the World Bank’s enterprise from GCIC’s ‘Cohort 2’ of to improve the Ghanaian fish and poultry infoDev Climate Technology Program, entrepreneurs produces maggot feed for market and become a global player that which supports high-growth, clean- fish and poultry farmers from organic will compete with industrial global feed tech companies to commercialise waste (faecal matter). It operates in manufacturers. and scale innovative private sector Zebilla in the Upper East Region of Translight Solar is based in Accra and solutions to climate change. Ghana. Demand for poultry in Ghana is is one of GCIC’s ‘Cohort 1’ businesses. The centre offers seed financing, growing by 13.9 per cent a year. However, The company sells solar systems to market connections, technical the imported poultry sector is benefiting predominantly urban residential and business training, and policy most from this demand, as local poultry customers on a monthly lease. While the interventions. costs four times more to produce. This is leasing or pay as you go (PAYG) model is not GCIC operates along the lines attributed to the cost of feed, which makes new, the business model has two important of a startup accelerator, inducting up about 60 to 70 per cent of the total cost benefits. entrepreneurs in ‘cohorts’ and of production. First, it reduces consumer electricity developing them together over a set The rise of fishmeal and soymeal wastage. Translight Solar’s solution time period. The culmination of the production is causing global issues such provides a facility that allows consumers process is a competitive pitch for as overfishing and deforestation. With the to manage their energy use remotely from funding. With the cohort approach, global population estimated to be nine their cell phones – switching on certain the entrepreneurs are expected to billion by 2020, demand for animal protein high-energy-consuming appliances such as learn from and stimulate each other’s is only set to rise. This will also increase a washing machine during the peak hours development, as well as gaining the amount of organic waste going into of sunlight, and (for instance) switching insights from a network of experts. landfill. So, meeting the growing demand off other appliances that could serve as a for protein to feed farm animals requires distraction to children when they should an alternative source of protein. be doing their homework after school.

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Low-input, floating tilapia cages in Lake Volta, Ghana. Several GCIC startups have developed ways to recover nutrients from waste to make feed for aquaculture. © WorldFish

Second, it allows Translight to switch has negative effects on the health of the Yet many barriers prevent the growth off the electricity remotely if the customer population. BioGreen, a company in GCIC’s of climate-smart enterprises, especially does not pay. This reduces the risk to ‘Cohort 4’, is employing indigenous crops to for the small and growing businesses financiers who offer credit services to produce a clean and efficient cooking fuel that GCIC typically serves. These barriers consumers to lease the solar systems. that positively impacts the climate, health include market entry (start-up costs, Another of Translight Solar’s key and gender equality. and regulatory and administrative innovations lies in taking the model to hurdles, for example), consumer reach larger urban homes. Currently, solar home Allowing endogenous technologies (through the high price of green goods systems supplied by PAYG companies have to flourish and services), socio-cultural exclusion less than 100 W capacity, which can only Endogenous solutions like these are (class, location, consumer patterns), unjust power a few small appliances. Translight important when considering climate action power relations (big business having more Solar’s smallest offering uses a 1,000W in developing countries. They can provide influence than SMEs), access to funding panel, with the largest having a panel size more effective and more scalable solutions and government policy. of over 5,000W. This is significant for urban than those adopted from elsewhere. The The drivers of transformative change middle-class consumers, especially given social, cultural and economic landscape are the socio-cultural norms, and the Ghana’s hot and humid weather. in each country – even different regions economic, financial and institutional BioGreen Energy manufactures and within a country – are different. So we structures that shape people’s preferences, distributes a climate-smart and reliable need to proffer responsive solutions. If behaviours and ideals. When many of these ethanol fuel gel called Adepa EcoGel. Africa uses more than half of its energy are skewed, fractured or informed by the This is an alternative cooking fuel made in cooking fuel – mostly firewood – then norms of ‘business as usual’, then climate from molasses, sugarcane bagasse and we need endogenous solutions to resolve action and sustainable development in other agro-waste. In Ghana today, over 70 this. We expect that in Ghana at least half the private sector (particularly for SMEs) per cent of households continue to use of climate-smart innovation and solutions is slowed. This means that, in turn, green wood and charcoal as their main source will depend on home-grown technology, growth is slowed. Then we become more of cooking fuel. This impacts not only the inputs and practices that respond to vulnerable to the vagaries of climate climate through deforestation, but also market needs. change inaction.

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Planting gnetum in the Lekie Province, Cameroon. The leaves of the vine are used in food and medicine, and play an important role in reducing anaemia. © Ollivier Girard/Center for International Forestry Research Forests as assets The destruction of forests for short-term economic gain is perhaps the most visible sign of humans’ contribution to climate change. We must reassess forests’ value, harnessing technology to reverse the damage we have wrought.

By Susan C. Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)

orests are unique assets. Like for agriculture. Lost in these uses are the significantly fail to match the severity of humans’ collective knowledge, they constellation of carbon and non-carbon the climate crisis. Even with tremendous Fdo not depreciate over time. In fact, benefits that forests provide. political will, a world powered by renewable the classical definition of an economic The value of a forest goes well beyond energy will not materialise overnight. We asset applies to forests: a resource with its value as a stream of income from have a long way to go. value for a corporation or an individual, or logging or agricultural conversion. It is How can we facilitate the transition? something that can provide current and a tremendous loss for a fraction of the An important part of the answer lies in future benefits. However, it is the nature benefits. Cutting forests as we do today is forest ecosystems. Reducing emissions and of these current and future benefits – their like selling Google for the value of its removing massive amounts of carbon from richness and irreplaceability – that makes data centres. the atmosphere through halting forest forests unique and challenging to quantify loss and restoring forests have a mitigation using the standard economic toolkit. Contributions to climate change potential of around 5.3 GtCO2e/year by If an asset is a resource with value, Forests are key to attaining climate change 2030 – almost a quarter of the estimated then what does value mean in the context mitigation goals by 2030. UNEP’s Emissions emissions reductions required to get on of forests? Forests are usually cut for Gap Report 2017 tells us that current to a 1.5°C target pathway. This figure could logging and burned down to make room targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions double if afforestation, agroforestry and

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carbon sequestration in soils were taken are best placed for selective logging and into account. automatically calculate expected volume. CTCN IN COSTA RICA Forests are under threat because of Because the handling of equipment our failure as a society to reflect their true and software does not require highly Technical assistance to inform forest value in our daily decisions. Last year, we specialised knowledge, it facilitates the conservation lost 3.6 million hectares of pristine tropical management of forests in situations where forests, the size of Belgium. This figure forestry professionals are in short supply. In Costa Rica, the role of forests increases threefold if we include both For example, the UN-REDD Programme in climate change adaptation and primary (untouched by humankind) and has provided equipment and training to mitigation is widely acknowledged. secondary (already disturbed or logged) indigenous communities that are now However, when it comes to the forests. able to monitor and manage large tracts of management of forests and So, what technologies do we have to their ancestral forest areas with the help of associated ecosystem services, there help correct the situation? drone technology. is a lack of access to information for improving the decision-making Remote sensing technology for Remote early fire detection systems process. forest monitoring Advances in remote sensing and drone CTCN is offering technical The capacity to remotely monitor land use technology have, in turn, permitted assistance with the design of a data change has undergone nothing less than a corresponding advances in early fire and information management system revolution in the past 10 years. When the detection systems. This is important for managing tropical forests to UN-REDD Programme started supporting because climate change is making forests support climate change mitigation countries in establishing forest monitoring more vulnerable to fires. and adaptation, in addition to systems, observers could only identify Systems under development now financial mechanisms for ecosystem forests. Now, with advances in remote include networks of infrared cameras and services. sensing technology, individual trees can be heat sensors that can spot wildfires before The development of effective and seen. And with the cost of remote sensing they become too difficult to control. These feasible IT tools will provide quick technology falling, this high-resolution can be connected to command centres that and efficient access to information monitoring is becoming the new normal. also receive data from satellite imagery. and catalyse processes for decision- The advances in remote sensing have Drones can be deployed to accurately making and strategy design. now gone beyond measuring land use assess the extent and position of forest It is expected that this will changes to also including carbon content. fires and plan responses accordingly. Some increase Costa Rica’s capacity Today, the combination of LiDAR (light of these systems can automatically trigger to manage forests and conserve detection and ranging) technologies response actions, like the deployment of ecosystems. and satellite imagery can produce 3D fire brigades and hydrant planes. carbon maps showing the amount of carbon above soil. Soon, it will be possible Logging traceability to compare nationwide 3D images of Technology for tracing logging products options in a collaborative way to above-soil carbon to estimate net carbon has been in use for some time, but its accommodate for activities like preserving gains and losses over time. Together with penetration is low. The most common protected areas, maintaining biological images of forest cover and adding the approach is to assign barcodes to each corridors, allowing forest extraction, price of forest carbon, you could rapidly log. However, barcodes open possibilities agriculture and tourism, among others. In estimate REDD+ payments not only from for tampering, and therefore allow illegal this context, gender based access to forest avoided deforestation, but also from forest logging products to mix with legal ones. rights, ownership and decision-making restoration and enhancement of carbon So, why not use the equivalent of a tree should also be considered – a major area of stocks. fingerprint? There is now scanning expertise at CTCN. technology that can identify the unique Participatory landscape management, Drone technology pattern of tree rings and track movement when done well, is more of an art than Advances in satellite imagery have from the moment a tree is cut down all the a technique. While it may not seem as occurred simultaneously with advances way to its final use. exciting as drone or remote sensing in drone technology. The availability of technology, it provides the foundation to improved batteries and lighter materials Participatory landscape management make these technologies effective. has made drones affordable and available This is one of the most cost-effective This is an important lesson: successful to the wider public. They have been rapidly technologies for forest conservation and conservation and sustainable forest put to good use for forest monitoring and sustainable use. Most forests under threat management will for the foreseeable future management. comprise a mosaic of ownership and continue to depend on ‘soft’ actions, like Drone equipment and software exists uses. This requires stakeholders to come reaching consensus on resource use and an that can scan forests, identify which trees together to decide on land management equitable distribution of its benefits.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies 52 SYSTEMIC CHANGE

Moving to a circular economy in Latin America Latin America should make green economics a central strategy to mitigate the threats to its unique natural resources.

By Giovanni Calderón Bassi, Director Ejecutivo Agencia de Sustentabilidad y Cambio Climático (Executive Agency for Sustainability and Climate Change, Chile)

atin America, with its common history contribution to global GHG emissions, these the economic cost of climate change in and for the most part shared language, countries make a quite limited contribution: Latin America and the Caribbean will be Lis frequently considered as a whole. As Chile 0.23 per cent, Uruguay 0.08 per cent and between 1.5 per cent and 5 per cent of GDP such, it would rank as the world’s fourth- Argentina 0.74 per cent. by 2050. largest economy and be responsible for Extreme vulnerability to climate change Climate change is restricting existing about 11 per cent of global greenhouse gas is the feature that unifies the region and patterns of production and consumption, (GHG) emissions. However, economically, the makes it a global priority. As a region, there is a and demands radical change in response. region is far from homogenous and should common imperative for international climate If we ignore these demands, our economic be addressed on a country-by-country basis. agreements to recognise its geographic development and social progress will stall. The most developed economies in the and climate situation, its demography and region are Chile, Uruguay and Argentina, socioeconomics, and its high sensitivity to Regional approach with GDPs per capita between $20,000 and natural assets – it has a remarkable richness of The imbalance between contribution $23,000. These countries have a consistent biodiversity and forests, which are an asset to towards climate change and the damage ranking in terms of the Human Development the rest of the world. experienced from it is a phenomenon Index, being classified as ‘very high human This vulnerability is already manifesting shared by most countries in the region development’ – and Chile and Uruguay have itself in economic performance and the and it calls for a regional approach. been classed as high-income economies by Economic Commission for Latin America The countries of Latin America need to the World Bank since 2013. But in terms of and the Caribbean (ECLAC) estimates that work together to design public policies;

CTCN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE The circular economy is Achieving these objectives future implementation phase. low rate of recycling and an industrial model that is requires alternative models increasing the present restorative by design and of business such as reuse, Expected impact rate will create the need proposes that, instead of remanufacturing and product- • reduced use of resources to hire more personnel for extracting natural resources, as-service. needed per unit produced; the various tasks required materials that have already • reduction of the quantity of in the different links of the been processed can be CTCN support waste produced; value chain of each product recovered and reused in The CTCN is performing an • reduction of the quantity of prepared; various ways, thus protecting assessment of the circular energy consumed. Reuse of • promotion of innovation, natural resources from over- economy in Brazil, Chile, raw materials reduces the because it is necessary to exploitation – an issue that is Mexico and Uruguay in order amount of energy required to change the production model particularly sensitive in Latin to prepare a road map for obtain an element that can and update the production America. each country. These will be re-used in preparing the infrastructure, equipment The objective is to keep reveal who are the key actors/ same or another product; and technologies, to process scarce, valuable resources in interested parties and will • development of new what is today considered circulation for longer periods characterise gaps and deficits. businesses and generation waste (future raw material); of time, promoting recycling The roadmaps will then serve of new job positions. Latin • mitigation of and adaptation and avoiding loss of materials. as a management tool for the America presently has a to climate change.

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Glaciers in the Magallanes region, Chile. The diverse natural resources to be found in Latin America are extremely vulnerable to climate change. © Curt Carnemark/World Bank

there needs to be coordination between other regions has suggested that massive Another factor that needs to be governments and non-state actors; and economic gains are to be had. A report addressed is accountability for consumption. action on climate mitigation and adaptation issued by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation As the fossil-fuel economy developed, the needs to be integrated. and the McKinsey Center for Business and complex web of trade that was created Faced with the threats posed by climate Environment demonstrated that a circular means that the location of production, and change, the concept of a circular economy economy approach could boost Europe’s the consequential GHG emissions, can be far has much to offer in the region. In part, it resource productivity by 3 per cent by 2030, removed from the consumer, who should be will help to conserve an environment already generating cost savings of €600 billion a held responsible for the emissions. under attack. As an example, the region year and €1.8 trillion more in other economic This highlights the importance currently produces 231 million tonnes of solid benefits. of reinforcing the Paris Agreement waste per year, of which only 4.5 per cent is Rulebook. The Rulebook must act as a recycled. Almost 70 per cent is disposed of Reinforcing the Rulebook robust mechanism that will support the in some sort of landfill, while more than a Climate action should be viewed as a development of a transparent and efficient quarter ends up in open dumps. subset of the Sustainable Development carbon market. There needs to be visibility The move towards a circular Goals. The process of transitioning to and fairness if the planet is going to be able economy would benefit the workforce a green economy, reducing emissions to achieve carbon neutrality in the timescale and the economy, as much as it does the and waste, and using resources more recommended by the IPCC. The case for a environment. It would create opportunities efficiently must be done with the goal of circular economy in Latin America is already for innovation and entrepreneurs, new improving the welfare of society. If we fail persuasive but the backing of a strong technology and quality jobs, and bolster the to follow this path, we will be left behind as international legal framework should dispel fight against climate change. Research for economies and societies. any excuses for not embarking now.

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Garment workers in Kandal province, Cambodia, travelling on a ‘romork’. © Chhor Sokunthea/World Bank Towards climate-smart transport in Cambodia The need to curb emissions and the threats of climate change are shaping Cambodia’s plans to expand access to mobility and transport.

By Hak Mao, Director, Department of Science and Technology, The General Secretariat of the National Council for Sustainable Development, Cambodia

n recent years, Cambodia’s transport – have been in steady decline as cargo Climate change impacts infrastructure has been restored and switched to road transport. But thanks Cambodia is facing increasing threats from Iextended across almost the entire to improvements across the network, climate change. Average temperatures country. including dredging and providing safety have risen and the trend is set to continue, The number of registered vehicles has markers, the tide is once again turning in with mean temperatures predicted to more than doubled from 215,468 in 2008 waterways’ favour. The amount of cargo increase by between 0.013°C and 0.036°C per to 441,800 in 2017. On the railways, a new and number of vessels are on the rise and year by 2099. Flooding has caused death, passenger train service started operating in are predicted to increase in the future. destruction of crops and livestock, and 2016, while the volume of freight transport Air transportation, meanwhile – damage to homes and the already fragile increased about 10 times between 2013 both of passengers and freight – has network of community infrastructure such and 2017. Rail traffic is expected to grow by increased significantly over the last as schools and health centres. between 7 and 12 per cent a year between decade. The Cambodian government set The country’s Ministry of Public Works now and 2030, according to projections by a policy to attract seven million foreign and Transport reported that, in 2011, 16 the Asian Development Bank. tourists annually by 2020. To facilitate out of 24 provinces and municipalities Cambodia’s inland waterways – this, Cambodia is improving both its were inundated with flooding and over 1.5 comprising around 1,750km, of which international airports and local airports in million people affected. Flooding damaged 580km are navigable all year round several tourist-destination provinces. 186 national and provincial roads stretching

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more than 718km, as well as 20 bridges. The Reducing Cambodia’s transport economy by up to 3,100 GgCO2e (27 per cent) impacts of climate change are predicted emissions by 2030 compared with ‘business as usual’. to slow average GDP growth between 2017 In 2013, Cambodia approved its technology Priority actions in the transport sector and 2050 and reduce absolute GDP by 0.4 needs assessment action plan. This were to promote mass public transport, to per cent in 2030, 2.5 per cent in 2030 and 9.8 identified three technologies for reducing improve the operation and maintenance of per cent in 2050 (compared to what GDP transport-related emissions. These were: vehicles through vehicle inspection and eco- would have been without climate change). energy-efficient urban mass transport; driving (optimising fuel consumption), and vehicle emission standards; electric to increase the use of hybrid cars, electric Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions motorbikes and bicycles. The plan indicated vehicles and bicycles. from the transport sector that an energy-efficient urban mass The projected combined effect of these Globally, the transport sector is the transport system would not only reduce transport actions would be to cut GHG second largest in terms of CO2 emissions, GHG emissions, but would also alleviate emissions by 390 GgCO2e by 2030. contributing about a quarter of total CO2 traffic congestion and improve the quality in 2017, according to the International of the local environment. International cooperation Energy Agency (IEA). The IEA also In addition, the Phnom Penh Capital Cambodia has received support for estimates that transport accounted for half Administration developed the Phnom tackling climate change from a wide of the total oil demand in Southeast Asia Penh Urban Transport Master Plan 2035 to range of international organisations and in 2015, and will account for 53 per cent by solve the current transport problems. The development partners. These include the 2040. Across the region, IEA figures show plan was designed to shift from a private- Asian Development Bank, the International that road vehicles account for 28 per cent oriented urban transport system to a Fund for Agricultural Development, the of total energy-related CO2 emissions, and well-balanced system of public and private World Bank, the Swedish International approximately 92 per cent of transport- transport. It envisaged a combination Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), related CO2. of road, public transport and traffic the EU, the United Nations Development Focusing on Cambodia, the country management improvements to enhance Programme (UNDP) and the World Health is not currently a significant contributor the mobility of citizens, and to enable Organization. to GHG emissions. In 2000, per-capita Phnom Penh City to fulfil its potential. The Cambodia Climate Change Alliance GHG emissions were about 0.23 tCO2e. Meanwhile, the Cambodia Climate – funded by the EU, UNDP, Sida and the However, this figure is projected to rise to Change Strategic Plan 2014–2023 aims to Danish International Development Agency about 1.10 tCO2e by 2030 and 5.49 tCO2e by develop the country towards becoming – has been designed to strengthen and 2050. Transport already contributes more a green, low-carbon, climate-resilient, fulfil its mandate to address climate change than any other sector to Cambodia’s CO2, equitable, sustainable and knowledge-based and to enable line ministries and civil- and this is projected to continue. By 2050, society. Cambodia indicated in its intended society organisations to implement priority transport CO2 is predicted to rise to 10,816 Nationally Determined Contribution that climate change actions. The country has GgCO2e (see table). it is expected to cut emissions across the also requested support for low-emission mobility from the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN). THE TREND OF GHG EMISSIONS IN CAMBODIA The Royal Government of Cambodia has also been implementing the Strategic Sector/year 2000 2010 2030 2050 2030/ 2050/ Programme for Climate Resilience (SPCR) 2010 2010 with financial support from Climate Investment Funds. The SPCR covers two Residential 948 936 1,287 1,890 1.4 2.02 streams. The first is to build knowledge about climate change impacts on Commercial 68 142 311 682 2.2 4.80 Cambodia and how to mainstream climate resilience into agriculture, water resources, Energy industry 385 1,453 3,539 8,888 2.4 6.12 transport and urban infrastructure. The second is to invest in applying new skills, Manufacturing 320 689 1,144 1,766 1.7 2.56 techniques, technology and engineering practices for climate resilience. Transport 709 2,000 4,631 10,816 2.3 5.41 Cambodia still needs more support to address climate change impacts. Therefore, AFOLU* (8,882) 15,689 25,504 34,112 1.6 2.17 the government is mobilising support and cooperation from development partners, donor countries and other stakeholders to TOTAL MtCO2eq (6,452) 20,909 36,416 58,154 1.7 2.78 ensure the country can achieve sustainable Source: GSSD (2015) *Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use development.

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The sustainability of city growth As populations grow and concentrate in cities, the risk and scale of climate disasters is intensified. We must make cities and infrastructure climate-friendly in construction – and resilient to extreme events.

By Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, UN-Habitat

oday, the world’s cities face many energy use in buildings or transport. Urban interconnected environmental, social policymakers – along with residents and Tand demographic challenges. These other local stakeholders – are therefore challenges have been caused by economic at the forefront of efforts to avoid global growth, human development, increasingly warming of more than 1.5°C. rapid urbanisation and climate change. More than half of the world’s population Sustainable urban development lives in cities, and this is likely to increase to In 2015, the United Nations adopted the 70 per cent by 2030. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The anticipated growth in urban This laid out 17 Sustainable Development populations will require extensive Goals (SDGs) for national and local construction and reconstruction of urban governments to achieve and report on. infrastructure and buildings. On average, The SDGs seek to end poverty, protect the urban land cover is expanding at twice the environment and ensure that all people rate of urban population growth. At face enjoy peace and prosperity. The imperative value, this level of urban expansion seems of sustainable urban development is worrying. Yet it could also be the catalyst captured in SDG 11: “make cities and One of the biggest challenges of rapid for adopting new technologies to construct human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient urbanisation is that much of the urban buildings and infrastructure with low or and sustainable”. The interconnected growth in developing countries occurs near-zero emissions that are adapted to nature of SDG 11 thus means it functions spontaneously, not following official climate change. like a hub for all the other SDGs. planning frameworks. As a result, large Early action in this area is important The New Urban Agenda, adopted in numbers of urban residents live in informal and cost-effective: the long service life of 2016 at the Habitat III conference, provides settlements that are vulnerable to natural infrastructure and buildings makes them a roadmap to achieve SDG 11, as well as and man-made hazards. prone to energy and emissions ‘lock-ins’ that the urban dimensions of other SDGs. The Climate change has also increased the are more expensive to change. Agenda promotes the wellbeing of urban frequency and intensity of natural hazards, For example, buildings account for residents, enhancing cities’ economic affecting millions of urban dwellers. Most one third of global energy consumption. competitiveness, and safeguarding the houses in informal settlements are poorly Buildings would have to cut their emissions environment. Cities lie at the core of the built and are more liable to collapse when by over 80 per cent compared with 2010 sustainable development agenda globally. hit by storms or floods. Many informal levels to achieve a pathway consistent Local leaders and policymakers have to settlements develop on dangerous sites – for with 1.5°C of warming above pre-industrial work hand in hand with private-sector instance, flood plains, coastlines or unstable levels. The uptake of renewable energy partners, urban planners, industry leaders, slopes – because housing on safer sites is too sources, low-emission technology and educational institutions, citizens and civil expensive. energy-efficient appliances in cities can society to achieve the Agenda’s vision for a The end result is that the urban poor, reduce emissions drastically, as can reduced better and more sustainable future. often living in fragile locations with no risk-

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Informal settlements in West Point, Monrovia, Liberia. Informal settlements present the greatest challenge of rapid urbanisation: poorly constructed and located in the most vulnerable situations. © Albert Gonzalez Farran/UN Photo

reducing infrastructure such as functioning a range of technology solutions, methods storm drains, bear the brunt of these and practices that are low cost and resource intensified climate threats. efficient. These include: High levels of poverty and illiteracy • Early-warning systems (EWS): These mean that these communities have limited involve technology and associated capacity to deal with climate change policies and procedures designed The urban poor, impacts. In addition, the political and to predict and mitigate the harm of often living in fragile institutional marginalisation of these natural and human-initiated disasters communities, stemming from non- and other undesirable events. These locations with recognition of informal settlements as part include floods, earthquakes, avalanches, no risk-reducing of the larger city fabric, often results in tsunamis, tornadoes, landslides and the absence of meaningful risk-reducing drought. In Myanmar, through the infrastructure, services and infrastructure. Myanmar Climate Change Alliance, bear the brunt of The United Nations Human Settlements UN-Habitat and UNEP developed an Programme (UN-Habitat) has developed EWS that increases public access to these intensified knowledge, programmes and tools to weather and climate-related forecasts climate threats address the challenges that climate change around the clock. In Fiji, UN-Habitat poses to cities and, particularly, the urban has initiated a similar process. poor. On both climate change adaptation • Fukuoka method: This is a semi- and mitigation, UN-Habitat has developed aerobic landfill design that speeds up

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the decomposition of waste materials, estimates. Projected climate risks improves the quality of water draining include intense rainfall events, from the site and reduces methane increased risk of flooding, landslides gas, one of the most potent greenhouse and soil erosion. Climate change has gases (GHGs). This, in turn, reduces therefore been recognised as a risk at the future risk of fire and lengthens the highest political level while also the life of the landfill site. Fukuoka being seen as an economic development UN-Habitat has University in Japan developed the opportunity. Thus, one of the activities worked in over method in collaboration with UN- that UN-Habitat developed under the Habitat. UN-Habitat has implemented Urban LEDS programme in Rwanda 60 cities in eight this technology in many cities around was to produce local-level GHG countries to the world, including in Kenya, Ethiopia, inventories for three cities. This helped accelerate the Myanmar and China. In Addis Ababa, those cities to understand sources of this project has benefited over a million pollution and to better promote energy- low-emission residents. efficient technologies in infrastructure development process • Building technologies: When building development. or upgrading houses, there are • City Resilience Action Planning: opportunities for design and technology UN-Habitat has implemented its City to produce climate mitigation and Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) environmental risks associated with cost benefits. Designs that maximise tool in over 24 cities globally. For climate change, including landslides and natural ventilation reduce the need for example, in Sri Lanka, eight cities were floods. cooling systems. Those that maximise supported to integrate disaster risk • Sustainable Urban Pathways: natural light inside the property can reduction plans into city planning. Together with UN Environment and reduce energy demands for lighting. The CityRAP is designed for local the Wuppertal Institute, UN-Habitat Green roofs and walls can help with governments and other institutions embarked on a four-year project aimed temperature regulation in extreme to mainstream resilience into their at assisting four countries (initially) heat – and can also generate food if existing and future policies, plans, in making progress against the SDGs, appropriate plants are grown. A loft budgets, institutional set-ups and the New Urban Agenda and the Paris can provide a layer of insulation under actions. This puts local governments Agreement through low-carbon basic the roof and serve as a storage space and urban stakeholders in the driving services. Examples of current pilot for valuables during flooding. Roofs seat in urban resilience planning. The projects include electric bike-sharing in that are solid enough to take solar key features of the tool include local Belo Horizonte, Brazil; electric tuk tuks panels can also enable household-level ownership and engagement, flexibility for Kochi, India; and developing an eco- electricity generation. UN-Habitat’s and adaptability to different realities, district in Quito, Ecuador. publication Sustainable Building and mainstreaming local knowledge Design for Tropical Climates offers and solutions. For UN-Habitat, it is extremely specific solutions to countries in the • Participatory mapping for upgrading important to focus on the developing world developing world that can benefit from informal settlements: Through a and its most vulnerable populations when resource-efficient building designs detailed diagnosis, UN-Habitat has designing and implementing technological and practices in tropical and changing developed a city-wide strategy for solutions that support communities climates. In Pakistan, UN-Habitat Kigali in Rwanda. The strategy seeks around climate adaptation and mitigation. supported the national government to upgrade under-serviced and UN-Habitat focuses on simple tools and to formulate guidelines for green unplanned settlements to achieve practices that can generate substantial building codes as a first step towards positive socio-economic impacts and benefits: an increase in technology use in promoting sustainable consumption to counterbalance socio-territorial previously underserved communities; an and production. In Myanmar, UN- segregation trends. This includes increased technological understanding Habitat supported the formulation of an in-depth analysis of Kigali’s through local capacity-building efforts; the Myanmar National Building Code. population, international agreements, and overall smarter and more efficient • Low-emission development strategies the Kigali Master Plan, as well as the community practices. (LEDS): UN-Habitat has worked in over topographical features of the city. It UN-Habitat works closely with local, 60 cities in eight countries to accelerate therefore assesses the environmental regional and national governments on the low-emission development process. risk that low-income citizens are localising international climate targets In Rwanda, average temperatures have exposed to. The strategy proposes and sharing good practices and solutions, increased by 1.4°C since the 1970s. At concrete interventions, such as equipped to shape their country’s future. current rates, this will rise to 2.5°C constructing key service infrastructure This is the key to the success of any by 2050, according to government and land readjustment, that reduce the initiative, anywhere in the world.

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Guarding the coasts Coasts, particularly in the developing world, are in the firing line of climate change. What actions must we take now to protect the vulnerable communities whose lives depend on them?

By Joyashree Roy, Bangabandhu Chair Professor, Asian Institute of Technology, Sabuj Kumar Mandal, Assistant Professor, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Sheikh Tawhidul Islam, Professor and Director, Institute of Remote Sensing, Jahangirnagar University, Satabdi Datta, Environmental Economist, The Celestial Earth, Indrajit Pal, Assistant Professor and Chair, Disaster Preparedness, Asian Institute of Technology, A. Saleem Khan, Postdoctoral Fellow, Indian Institute of Technology Madras

Repairing an embankment after a cyclonic tidal surge in Bagerhat district, Bangladesh. South Asia, characterised by high population and poverty, has comparatively little capacity to adapt to climate change. © Xinhua/Alamy

cientific assessment by the the effects of warmer ocean temperatures, new mitigation strategies to help coasts. Intergovernmental Panel on increased acidification, more frequent and Coastal management that mitigates the SClimate Change (IPCC) states with intense storms, more cyclones, and rises effects of climate change must be put into high confidence that even if we limit in precipitation. These factors will in turn practice now to minimise the need for global warming to 1.5°C above pre- lead to rising saltwater intrusion, coastal drastic adaptation in the future. industrial levels, sea levels will continue flooding, damage to infrastructure, and This raises two key questions: first, how to rise well beyond 2100. Particularly increasing uncertainty about the livelihoods do we manage historic interventions in vulnerable are the world’s coasts. of people dependent on coastal resources. coastlines that were made without regard The World Economic Forum’s Global The growth of the nascent ‘blue to climate change, if we are to minimise the Risks Report 2019 shows that around 90 per economy’ – using ocean resources risks to lives and economic wealth? Second, cent of all coastal areas will be affected by sustainably for economic growth and what can we do differently to avoid future climate change to varying degrees. Coasts improved livelihoods while preserving the risks? Any practical solutions will need more will suffer more than other areas from ocean ecosystem – offers opportunities for intensive research, as well as planning and

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design that focuses on and involves local are gateways for about 90 per cent of world communities. freight trade, through elaborate coastal shipping infrastructure. Nearly half of the Threats, risks and responses world’s major cities are located within 50 Coasts are important places for human kilometres of a coast. Coastal population settlements, economic infrastructure and densities are 2.6 times greater than those social recreation. They accommodate about of inland areas, and have seen an Unlike disaster 10 per cent of the world’s population and exponential rise. management The migration of coastal communities reflects the unendurable challenges they adaptation, climate CTCN ASSISTANCE currently face. Compounding the climate response must be IN BANGLADESH’S threats is the fact that coastal communities tend to include relatively high proportions proactive rather COASTAL AREAS of poor and marginalised people. At the than reactive same time, developing countries – especially Being vulnerable to regular water those in South Asia with high population and climate-induced disasters such density and poverty – have comparatively as cyclones, storm surges, floods, little capacity to adapt, given the speed with strengthening mitigation action is of droughts and inundation by saline which climate change is taking place. primary need. Unlike disaster management water, the threat of climate change The social groups most impacted are adaptation, climate response must be looms large in Bangladesh, affecting fishing communities, farmers, harvesters of proactive rather than reactive. Scenario- the economy and livelihoods. natural resources from mangrove forests, based backcasting – working backwards It is essential to put in place such as honey, golpata (nipa palm) and from a desired future outcome to identify appropriate technical measures shrimp in Bangladesh, and communities actions needed now – can help us to monitor the changes due to dependent on the downstream value chain understand adaptation needs over time. climate change. There is not a single of coastal resources. In disaster-prone coasts, This can inform adaptation project design to offshore platform along the coast the male members of the communities often give viable protection against future threats. of Bangladesh to regularly monitor migrate to protect their livelihoods, leaving Participatory rural appraisal methods actual sea-level rise over time. the women and children behind. must take into account context, culture, Measuring water and soil salinity Climate models predict risks to various knowledge, agency and the preferences of requires technological inputs and economic activities. Policymakers see communities. Best practice is when both the updating. The impact of climate climate risks through the lens of politics and approaches are complementary in response change on different sectors needs regional justice. But coastal communities design. to be studied in depth over time and perceive the risk differently. To strategise State and non-state actors have the space. action to help coastal communities, we must power to enhance the adaptive capacity of identify and map the risk categories of the the private sector by providing a range of Objectives local physical infrastructure. These include public goods and services. These include: • Use of satellite imagery for periodic energy supply, trade and social recreation, • early-warning systems for extreme monitoring and impact assessment. as well as other economic functions and weather events; • Setting/linking up with offshore processes. • installation of GPS in deep-sea fishing mechanism to monitor the sea- Bangladesh’s contribution to global trawlers; level rise. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is less • developing climate change-responsive • Development of analytical model(s) than 0.35 per cent, but the country faces physical and financial infrastructure; for impact assessment using a potentially catastrophic level of climate • improving access of households to loan satellite and sea-level rise data. impacts. National documents suggest that finance; • Sea-level processing software for taking either no or limited global climate • building disaster shelters; analysing data. action would cause the country to lose • organising efforts to move people to safe • Application of tools/software 2 per cent of its GDP by 2050 and 9.4 per cent places during disasters; developed or identified for by 2100. This would lead to more poverty- • building embankments and flood- demonstration purposes in one of ridden conditions and the displacement of protection infrastructure; the coastal areas. millions of people. Many other developing • coastal plantation schemes; • Establish in-country capacity countries face a similarly bleak outlook, • water supply projects; building and training that can be leading to calls for ‘climate justice’ in climate • improving drainage systems in coastal institutionalised. negotiations. cities; and At the global scale, recognising the • dredging and restoring coastal rivers and limits of adaptation in local contexts and canals.

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In developing countries especially, programmes and into integrated coastal that will increase the resilience of the individuals with higher income and zone management. coastal ecosystem and people include savings, who own a range of assets, or A wide variety of evidence – global the cooperation of a broad range of who enjoy more mobility, education and assessment reports, national policy stakeholders who pursue individual goals social connection are likely to be much documents, interviews with government from using coastal ecosystem services. better adapted to the effects of climate officials and village focus group discussions However, communication, knowledge- change. Yet, governance, the state of natural in various countries – shows that some sharing, outreach, capacity development capital, the existence of social capital and regulatory mechanisms are rejected by local and networking are all critical for enabling government regulations can all communities and associations due to a lack developing countries. Here, international have considerable influence on the adaptive of adequate consultation or trust among the networks like CTCN can help. Now, within capacity of a community and households. various stakeholders. the context of the blue economy discourse The regulatory bodies consider these and ocean mitigation, we need strong Hurdles for developing countries as barriers to policies they wish to enact – international cooperation. Knowledge about climate adaptation like a ban on deep-sea fishing during fish We also need in-country capacity. and mitigation currently cannot keep breeding period, a ban on gill nets in fishing, Coastal countries living with the realities up with the frequency and intensity of or providing training facilities for fishermen. of climate change understand best how to extreme climate-related events that coastal Some communities report regulatory-level craft resilience-building adaptation projects communities in developing countries corruption such as in the implementation that are suitable in their physical, ecological, now face. and violation of laws in the coastal social, cultural and economic contexts. In Myanmar, for example, there regulation zone. Provisions for periodic review of national is no time for coasts to recover or for This erosion of trust is leading to and subnational policies are absent in the communities to take appropriate action. dysfunctionality. Educational institutions current practices of developing countries. This leads to inappropriate solutions being engaged in human capital-building can play Developing instruments for designing implemented quickly: old-fashioned projects an important role, but the disconnection adaptation programmes, monitoring that have marginal impacts, rather than of science policy is a major barrier towards and reporting could also help countries effective long-term solutions. achieving that. to create adaptation projects/plans that The lack of widespread technical are effective, efficient, sustainable and capacity, lack of funding, inadequate Conclusion harmonious. Identifying appropriate institutional mechanisms for coordinated Adaptation depends greatly on the technologies for sectors like water, energy actions, conflicting views on priorities, adaptive capacity or adaptability of an and agriculture – as well as the transfer and the limited capacities of vulnerable, affected system, region or community to of these technologies – will be crucial for affected communities all impede long-term cope with the impacts and risks of climate making coastal communities resilient to adaptation strategies by subsuming climate change. This calls for systemic change, climate change threats. change adaptation into the objectives of where technology, institutions, education Many studies from developing development projects. and behavioural changes can all play a countries show that a lack of sufficient Too much focus is on city-scale actions connected role. International institutions policy actions for human and social capital in countries where 60 to 80 per cent of the can help bridge the gap between science development, nature-based adaptation population live in rural areas. These lead and policy by strengthening local measures, asymmetry in information, and to too little attention given to marginalised institutions and initiating a platform for participatory decision-making happen rural communities and the trivialising science–policy dialogue. due to a lack of understanding about the of climate change issues. CTCN’s project Experience from multiple examples predicted widespread impact of climate ‘Promoting data for climate change, drought shows that various measures can speed up change. and flood management in Myanmar’ should knowledge dissemination. These include In addition, there is a need to generate help focus action where it is needed most. an international coastal education and actionable regional scientific knowledge In policy design, functional needs are research network, a task force, connecting through collaborative partnerships among translated into functional requirements educational institutions, a joint research scientists, policymakers, practitioners and through first-hand knowledge and a deeper agenda and training for policymakers. These institutions. understanding of extreme climate events. can also help create demand from local Such collaboration among different If policy-making becomes institutionalised communities for climate action. scientific bodies and policymakers can be and detached from projects in the field, the Documenting and sharing best practices done through developing joint production science–policy connection is weakened, and processes from various country of assessments by experts and decision- leading to uninformed policy design at the contexts is a major source of knowledge makers. We need a better integration of local level. It also leads to a lack of vertical support. This can avoid many aspects different viewpoints, by encouraging integration with national and regional of maladaptation and also strengthen networking, co-production of knowledge, action plans. Climate adaptation needs to adaptation–mitigation synergies. For and a stronger role for academia at the be scientifically embedded in educational the coastal sector, the success factors national level.

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Case study: Tackling flooding in Jakarta

A Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) project to develop high-resolution computer modelling to represent coastal water dynamics is helping Indonesia build the expertise and infrastructure to tackle devastating flooding.

Kampung Apung, an informal settlement in the Kapuk district of Jakarta, Indonesia, floods during the rainy season and is connected to neighbouring areas by a metre-wide causeway. © Afriadi Hikmal/Getty Images

ndonesia’s capital has been victim claimed dozens of lives and forced tens of parts of Jakarta are also subsiding. The to coastal flooding for centuries. thousands to abandon their homes. city is therefore particularly vulnerable to IClimate change is now increasing the The causes of Jakarta’s flooding are rising sea levels, especially during spring intensity and regularity of these floods. many and varied. Already a low-lying city when tides are higher. Increased rainfall The most recent major incursion, in 2013, (averaging just eight metres above sea level) and changing land use, meanwhile, are

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swelling local rivers. Jakarta’s river flood Jakarta’s country representative and and action plans – both to reduce flooding risk is predicted to rise 180 per cent between CTCN focal point for the project was Ms and advance climate-resilient city 2015 and 2030. The Jakarta Research Council Nur Masripatin of Indonesia’s Ministry of planning in Jakarta. therefore asked CTCN for technical help Environment and Forestry. to develop solutions and build in-country Other benefits capacity to tackle its flooding problem. Challenges Jakarta has shared the decision-making The biggest challenge was gathering the tools and lessons learned from the Project objective large amount of necessary data to create project with other major Asian coastal There were two stages to the project, the the hydrodynamic model in the limited cities. This South–South cooperation has first being to assess Jakarta’s flood risks time available. The data were held by spread expertise throughout the region and hazards, followed by the design of several different institutions, which made and boosted the impact of the CTCN’s climate-resilient measures to reduce the information gathering a time-consuming technical assistance. scale of flooding and its impact. To achieve process. Cooperation was achieved through Thanks to the capacity building on these objectives, the following activities much lobbying and numerous meetings financing, Jakarta received funding interest were identified: with government bodies. from the government of South Korea and • develop a high-resolution hydrodynamic There was also more work required the World Bank to expand the original pilot flood model to evaluate ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ to make the data from different sources to all affected areas of Jakarta. engineering solutions to reduce flooding consistent, which further added to delays All of these benefits are likely to risks in a pilot area of Jakarta (hard in processing the data and calibrating the contribute to a significant reduction in loss = solid, man-made structures like sea model. However, the model was built and of life and property. walls, groynes and rock armour; soft = successfully represents the floods that took In addition to furthering the climate enhancing natural solutions to protect place in 2007 and 2013. action goal, SDG 13, the project supports coasts, such as widening beaches or The original plan was to conduct SDG 9 (build resilient infrastructure, planting trees in coastal dunes); household surveys for the socio-economic promote inclusive and sustainable • survey Jakarta’s inhabitants to find out impact assessment once the hydrodynamic industrialisation and foster innovation) their perceptions of flooding, what they modelling had been completed. To win and SDG 11 (make cities and human considered acceptable risk, and their back time lost in the data gathering stage, settlements inclusive, safe, resilient preferred adaptation options; it was decided that the surveys should be and sustainable). • organise a series of technology transfer conducted in tandem with developing the workshops to strengthen local expertise model. The timing of surveys and focus in hydrological modelling and urban group discussions also coincided with the infrastructure options; Jakarta governor election. Some respondents KEY FACTS • formulate policy recommendations refused to participate in interviews, as they to develop climate-resilient urban assumed these were connected with the infrastructure to reduce flooding risks; election. Some households also took longer Organisations involved: • develop funding opportunities than expected to complete and return their CTCN, UNEP-DHI Partnership, to expand the utilisation of the survey answers. Jakarta Research Council, Ministry hydrodynamic model; of Environment and Forestry • share knowledge gained through the Climate action (Government of Indonesia), plus project with other cities in the Global The project supports Sustainable several local experts South that face similar flooding issues. Development Goal (SDG) 13 (tackle climate change) and Indonesia’s Nationally Budget: $240,000 Participants Determined Contribution. It helped The Jakarta Research Council, on behalf Indonesia to improve knowledge Start date: July 2016 of the Provincial Government of Jakarta, management and policy on climate change applied to the CTCN for technical adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Completion date: January 2018 assistance. UNEP-DHI Partnership led It also helped the country to develop key the implementation, with the help of measures on coastal and flood protection. Benefits: several expert partners in Indonesia. These Specifically, the government of Jakarta has Enabled government of Jakarta to included: the Jakarta Research Council, used the hydrodynamic modelling to identify identify areas of the city that are most Indonesia’s Agency for the Assessment areas of the city that are most vulnerable to vulnerable to flooding, strengthen and Application of Technology, Gadjah flooding. The software has also allowed them local expertise in hydrological Mada University, the Indonesian Institute to identify the most relevant technology modelling and urban infrastructure of Sciences, the University of Indonesia, solutions to tackle the problem. options, and formulate a plan to best the Bandung Institute of Technology and Government agencies now have address flooding in the pilot area. Bogor Agricultural University. enhanced expertise to formulate policy

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Case study: Strengthening infrastructure A CTCN project to make Antigua and Barbuda’s critical buildings climate-resilient will bring long-lasting benefits to these islands.

By Egbert Louis, Principal Consultant, ECMC Ltd, Saint Lucia

iven the vulnerability of Small population. Therefore, some of the public Island Developing States (SIDS) to facilities that were identified for the project Gnatural disasters, the recognisable included: impacts of climate change, and the • hospitals; devastating effect of Hurricane Irma in • police stations; 2017, it was essential that the Government • health/medical centres; of Antigua and Barbuda (GOAB) • fire stations; SIDS need to managed the reconstruction of its public • defence force facilities; ensure that critical infrastructure by ‘building back better’. • other critical public facilities such as This commitment was driven by four major the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of public buildings objectives: the Environment and the national can continue to 1. Devising a strategy whereby critical emergency headquarters. public buildings and emergency services operate before, can withstand the impact of major local The buildings’ ability to operate was during and after disasters, particularly hurricanes and taken from the standpoint of both the emergency events floods. physical infrastructure and their services 2. Retrofitting existing public building input. stock to minimise the impacts of potential future climate-induced Parties and capabilities assessment process by assisting the disasters. To realise its objectives, the GOAB sought local teams as well as conducting critical 3. Leading a sustainable reconstruction and received technical assistance from the assessments whenever required. A UN process that reflects projected climate Climate Technology Centre and Network environment expert provided overarching change impacts, by conducting critical (CTCN). The CTCN then engaged one of guidance about relevant information for assessments, developing adaptation its network members (ECMC Ltd of Saint preparing a concept note for funding. measures and building capacity within Lucia) to work with the Ministry of the its technical human resource base. Environment and other partners from Timeline and deliverables 4. Preparing appropriate bid packages for Antigua and Barbuda. The contract for ECMC’s services started each of the selected facilities. These can The first task was to identify the most on 20 June 2018. The Department of then be used by the GOAB as guidance critical public buildings to include under Environment’s local team, coordinated by for further funding proposals and the project. ECMC’s team comprised its ECMC and its local counterpart engineer, investment plans, and for future design own engineers from Saint Lucia and a local worked for a period of 34 weeks to achieve and structural specifications of public Antiguan engineer, Trevor Gonsalves. the following deliverables: buildings. The Ministry of the Environment and 1. A draft bid package covering the generic its local team of building inspectors had work scope, method statements, quality Basis for selection identified the buildings to be assessed. The standards and defects rating. Given their vulnerability, SIDS need to ECMC team provided training to make 2. A set of guidance notes for the data ensure that critical public buildings can rapid, yet comprehensive, assessments of collection, detailed work and damage continue to operate before, during and the buildings and infrastructure, identify assessment, and cost estimates for after emergency events. This requirement deficiencies and select appropriate mitigating measures. is particularly relevant given the satellite mitigation measures. 3. On-site training, guidance and material nature of the infrastructure considered, The involvement of the local ECMC on structural inspections and works vital to the health and welfare of the engineer was a valuable asset to the estimates.

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, survey Codrington town, Barbuda after the region was hit by back-to-back, category 5 hurricanes. © Rick Bajornas/UN Photo

4. Developing 34 detailed work packages contributory factor for the extended measures included the use of potable water consisting of a works list, adaptation duration of the project. and rainwater harvesting storage, retrofit and retrofitting measures, a basic The ECMC team was able to address of roofs to include the use of trusses and aerial site plan and engineering the situation by conducting separate reduced spacing of fasteners, the use of cost estimates for each work package. visits to the buildings and performing impact windows and hurricane shutters 5. Developing standard structural and comprehensive reviews of the photographs and the use of standby generators for each retrofit drawings covering the defects provided. of the 34 work packages. and deficiencies observed during the Site plans which were planned to detailed assessment of the critical be part of the work packages had to be Other development benefits public buildings. replaced with aerial photographs of the Based on feedback from the local 6. Producing technical advisory notes respective building sites. participants in the project, two critically for the 2018 procurement and distinct benefits were derived. implementation activities. The notes Climate action objectives The first was capacity-building also included recommendations on Some of the climate action objectives for carrying out rapid and detailed appropriate procurement methods achieved were based on addressing issues assessments of critical assets to expedite to be adopted for the work packages related to increases in storm intensity, comprehensive work packages for repair developed. heavier rainfall periods and a reduction in and retrofitting of public buildings after average rainfall. storm damage. Challenges and solutions Although the issue of storm surge was The second was the automatic There was one major challenge that was viewed as a climate action objective, which development of a database of standard quickly resolved. should be addressed, none of the critical costs for critical mitigation measures, The pace at which the building buildings selected was located on the which can be used on similar future inspection forms were being submitted coastline. projects or for any disaster-related damage and their completeness was the main Some of the critical mitigation assessment exercise.

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Selling fish at Gizo market, Solomon Islands. Warming oceans and acidification are threatening the coral reefs and the fish that depend on them. © Linda Roche/DFAT

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Big threats to small islands The next 10 years – designated the UN’s Ocean Decade – may decide the very survival of Small Island Developing States. It calls for technology-led, co-ordinated action, starting now.

By Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean

ope springs eternal. When in The first quality is that of sharing, hundreds of millions of people living in dark moments I consider the without which homo sapiens would not the food-basket river deltas and low-lying Hincontrovertible facts of climate have been able to go beyond hunting and coastal lands of the continents who will change and such deeply disturbing gathering. The second is that of innovation, also be faced with inundation. These are symptoms as ocean acidification, the death the quality that took us from the Stone indeed times for intensified innovation and of coral, the extinction of species, and Age to the Space Age. When faced with a technology transfer. steadily rising sea levels, I do not allow Malthusian crisis – be it famine, plague It is also now broadly recognised that myself the indulgence of despair. It’s not or war – we have either applied these two climate and ocean change are inextricably that I choose optimism over pessimism, qualities to the best of our abilities, or we linked. As humanity’s practices on both for neither is as useful as hard-nosed have succumbed. The alternatives of selfish land and sea are the causes of the problems, pragmatism. It is because I have faith in two greed and regression have worked for some so they must both be part of the solutions. of the greatest qualities of our species. in the short term. But in the long haul they That linkage is amply demonstrated Ever since our ancestors walked forth succumb, while human progress resumes its by the fact that all three exacerbating, from East Africa, through all the wrong march in search of the common good. life-threatening ocean changes now turns and man-made disasters met along Here in the 21st century, facing up to underway (deoxygenation, acidification and our journey, two innate strengths carried us the grim realities of climate change and warming) are a consequence of the same forward. By deploying them we developed the fact that we have brought this crisis anthropogenically created greenhouse gases agriculture, we created urbanised industrial upon ourselves, we must now devise (GHGs) that are causing climate change. societies, and we invented technologies that better ways of sharing. We must also apply It was because of their place on the have taken us to the Moon and back. ourselves to innovation as never before. front line that SIDS recognised the changes These fundamental principles underlaid underway. They rang the alarm bells at the 2015 adoption by UN Member States the United Nations in the years when the of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals SDGs were being negotiated. One of the (SDGs), when nations put innovation and main results of that push was the creation technology transfer into the heart of the of SDG 14: conserve and sustainably use goals. the oceans, seas and marine resources for Climate and sustainable development. SIDS on the front line It should thus come as no surprise that ocean change are It is a well-accepted fact that Small one of the 10 targets of SDG 14 is to increase inextricably linked. Island Developing States (SIDS) are at scientific knowledge, develop research the frontline of the destruction that capacity and transfer marine technology. As humanity’s climate change will bring upon many In other words, step up our innovation and practices are the long-existing economic, social and better share our efforts and results. That environmental conditions. Without target is specifically aimed at improving the causes of the effective adaptation and mitigation health of the Global Ocean and enhancing problems, so they measures, some islands will lose their the contribution of marine biodiversity to ability to maintain human habitation, the development of developing countries – must be part forcing migration and unthinkable in particular the SIDS and least developed of the solutions cultural and environmental loss. countries. If SIDS are at the front line of rising It is in the spirit of innovation and sea levels, it is sobering to think of the sharing that SIDS have welcomed the

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United Nations declaration of 2021 to about the Ocean like ready-made observing 2030 as the UN Decade for Ocean Science stations. Their human inhabitants are well for Sustainable Development. Through attuned to the Ocean’s many characteristics. comprehensive observation, the Decade is expected to: complete our mapping of the Forging partnerships ocean floor; develop our understanding In a spirit of North–South and South– of the multi-stressors affecting the Global South partnership with governments, SIDS have welcomed Ocean and its incredibly complex and NGOs, academics, business and the UN declaration diverse ecosystems; and scale up our philanthropies, the SIDS must fully capacity development to provide better engage with the Ocean Decade. Through of 2021 to 2030 as climate services and disaster warnings. It it, their marine institutes will be upgraded, the UN Decade is envisaged that by the end of the Decade while their young people will be trained for Ocean Science we will have an interoperable portal of to become world-class marine scientists ocean data available to all. Through this and technicians. The island countries for Sustainable we can make decisions to protect both the will acquire the scientific knowledge and Development Ocean’s biodiversity and human security. marine technologies needed to maintain SIDS have much to give to and gain a sustainable relationship with the Ocean from the Ocean Decade. They are scattered in the course of changing conditions. For SIDS to have the capacity to non-governmental organisations, the effectively combat the challenges private sector, the scientific community of climate change, the centrality of and philanthropic organisations forging technology transfer is key. partnerships to mobilise necessary actions. We need to help SIDS build the No one party can succeed on its own, for capacity to assemble data on the causal SDG 14 is a universal responsibility. The links to resource impact, and the multiple Ocean is the common heritage of mankind. threats posed by climate and ocean The UN Ocean Conference of June 2017 change. This is so that mapping and was a global game-changer in its raising of analysis can be carried out to enable user- awareness of the deep problems the Ocean friendly visualisations to be developed now faces. Amongst its many positive for advocacy and awareness. Forecasting outcomes, the conference witnessed change to better manage risks will depend the formation of an impressive array of on effective technology transfer and multi-stakeholder partnerships and more development. This will be critical for SIDS’ than 1,500 voluntary commitments to shipping, ports, marine tourism, pollution implement SDG 14. My appointment as prevention, and the reduction of GHG the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy emissions in sea transportation. for the Ocean arose from the conference, Likewise, work is at hand on the use of with terms of reference to support the remote sensing, autonomous vehicles and achievement of SDG 14. satellites for monitoring and mitigating It has been encouraging to see the coastal habitat degradation, changes in spread of ocean action initiatives around sea surface temperature and real-time the world in the years since the 2017 fish-stock assessments. conference. A particularly noteworthy We are also making strides in example was the Global Sustainable developing integrated early-warning Blue Economy Conference, convened by systems based on multi-disciplinary the government of Kenya and co-hosted expertise and access to better data, by the governments of Canada and which is in turn informing policy and Japan in Nairobi in November 2018. The management regimes. Central to all of conference saw marine science, research this is access to fast and cheap internet and technology transfer all receive wide Installing an Automatic Weather Station (AWS) in the Cook Islands. © Melina with high bandwidth, without which the support. Tuiravakai/Government of Cook Islands uptake and power of technology across Now preparations are underway for SIDS will be delayed and dissipated. the 2020 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon To achieve SDG 14, partnerships will on 2–6 June next year. The overarching be central to all good efforts. Joining theme will be scaling up ocean action with UN Member States and the United based on science and innovation for the Nations System, we must now see implementation of SDG 14.

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Evaluating crop results at the Climate-Smart Village (CSV) of Olopa, Guatemala. © Alexandra Popescu/CCAFS/CGIAR

Effective partnerships Climate action demands cross-border collaboration. What are the essential ingredients for creating successful multinational climate projects?

By Karsten Krause, Head, Climate and Energy Department, German Environment Agency

ooperation among multi-cultural alongside and attracted by public investment, At the national level, a stable teams and collaboration on new is crucial to scaling up climate finance and regulatory framework is a precondition Csolutions is essential in meeting closing current investment gaps. And, for transferring intellectual property and climate objectives, as well as in creating most importantly, we need to establish better investing in a country. Given the high new jobs and growth. Urban infrastructure, ways of building lasting partnerships to initial investment costs, the development land use productivity and clean energy facilitate North–South, South–South and of many climate technologies can be systems offer a potential to greater triangular cooperation. vulnerable if regulations around them are efficiency, structural transformation and Enabling change is a location-specific liable to change. technological change towards climate- process. An established solution in one For many countries, the ‘import’ and friendly, sustainable development. country may be unknown, not available or adaptation of a solution can lead to an Transformation requires bringing not accepted in another. The interaction accelerated market introduction and take- new partners together and managing the of entrepreneurs, universities, schools, up of climate technologies. Focus should uncertainty that comes with innovation. governments and technology users creates be on learning and on first-to-market Pivotal to moving from pilot projects an ecosystem, unique to a location and a approaches, where investment models, risk towards mainstream collaboration is to technology. While an entrepreneur pushes a management and application models reflect build trust among the shareholders and solution in one village, farmers can oppose national circumstances and capabilities. stakeholders of a project. it in the next. If the last few decades of National characteristics have a We need effective enabling environments renewable energy projects have shown us significant influence on shaping innovation to upscale from the current level of climate anything, it is that public support for them outcomes. National innovation activities action towards the ambition laid out in depends on taking a participatory approach depend on size and income level. Smaller the Paris Agreement. Private investment, that promotes local ownership. countries or countries with limited national

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research investments may be more focused mechanisms, the private sector, civil society on incremental or adaptive innovation. and academia (as appropriate) in a request. Richer countries, meanwhile, can support This function is organised differently early stages of technological development, by different Parties. While many Parties achieving a critical mass to push the locate the NDE in an environmental or technological frontier. climate ministry, other countries place The non-linear interaction of theirs in economic affairs departments or a The CTCN and the cultural, organisational, behavioural and specialised agency. NDEs can link good technological factors can be considered as Through the NDEs, the CTCN helps a national system of innovation or as the developing countries to prioritise their business models and enabling environment of activities along technology needs, research potential new technologies the technology cycle. regulatory and policy barriers, and support with local needs technology deployment. Crucially, it helps UNFCCC governance to identify sources of additional public or The United Nations Framework Convention private funding. on Climate Change (UNFCCC) plays a The CTCN provides these services three factors can be influenced to raise pivotal role in connecting potential partners. by mobilising expertise on policy and ambition. Already since 2001, more than 80 developing technology support from a global network A joint vision demonstrates long-term countries have conducted Technology of finance, NGO, private sector and commitment and the direction in which Needs Assessments (TNAs) to determine research stakeholders. Local and national climate policies are headed. It also gives the mitigation and adaptation technology stakeholders in developing countries convey various communities such as the private priorities of a country. their clean technology-related needs to sector clear signals to adapt to the changing TNAs and resulting action plans the CTCN via a national focal point. Upon policy environment. Communicating also form important inputs for other receipt of a request, the CTCN conducts an this vision, associated policy goals and national processes related to the UNFCCC: open bidding process among its network progress to a wider public helps to foster Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions members and contracts them directly for understanding and creates transparency. (NAMAs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) their services. It is also important to link this vision to and National Communications (NCs), Network members represent a the benefits and risks of climate measures. and to develop Nationally Determined broad array of expertise in technology To convince leaders and citizens of the Contributions (NDCs). These processes development, deployment, capacity-building, need to take action, we must frame the provide a portfolio of future projects, finance, investment and policy. As the CTCN climate-related problems in a way that tracking needs for new equipment, helps countries to create environments that resonates with their way of thinking. It is techniques, services, capacities and skills are conducive to attracting and supporting also important to get the timing right and necessary to mitigate greenhouse gas technology implementation, many of its identify key people to approach. emissions and reduce vulnerability to technology projects focus on both soft and A prerequisite for successful stakeholder climate change. hard technologies. These projects take the engagement is being aware of the goals A second component to coordinate form of training, assessments, feasibility behind the actions. It is important to reflect national actors to enhance the enabling studies and guidance on policy and on past experiences in engaging with environment is the national designated regulatory structures. stakeholders, and evaluate success stories entities (NDEs) for climate technology CTCN technical assistance needs to as well as failures. This process should also development and transfer. NDEs, be seen as seed-funding to enable larger- comprise developing a preliminary strategy nominated by over 160 UNFCCC Parties, scale projects at a later stage. This could based on local needs. Local benefits, such are linked to the Climate Technology be done either by identifying technology as employment opportunities or financial Centre and Network (CTCN). NDEs play a partners or financial institutions to upscale revenues, help to enhance acceptance rates. fundamental role as an access point and and implement the results of technical Private-sector involvement is a coordination hub for technology. The assistance requests. key driver of technological innovation nominated individuals ensure that requests and transfer. Even inside the EU, most for technical assistance submitted to the Successful partnering innovation spending is realised by the CTCN reflect their national circumstances Beyond individual projects, the private sector and technologies are owned and priorities. mainstreaming of climate action requires and operated by private actors. We need NDEs also ensure that support that longer-term partnerships. Trust develops a differentiated approach to work with the CTCN provides is well coordinated at over generations of short-lived projects. technology producers, banks, engineering the national level with other processes Successful partnering across different companies and small and medium-sized that address climate change. A key task countries and regions depends on the enterprises. is to ensure the engagement of relevant political buy-in of leaders, broad stakeholder Despite the business potential, a ministries, focal points for other UNFCCC engagement and scientific support. Those knowledge gap needs to be bridged to

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balance perceived risks and to leverage much higher investments than can EUROPEAN COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR THE CTCN be obtained through the public sector. Facilitation through trusted national actors, The European Commission, on behalf of the European Union, has provided such as the NDEs, may help companies continuous funding assistance to the CTCN since its launch in 2013, supporting to enter new markets. But they are more networking, knowledge sharing, capacity building and technical assistance for important to help local stakeholders to climate change action. To date, the EC is the single largest donor to the CTCN. assess the direct and indirect effects of initiating an innovation or first-of-a-kind Networking: The Climate Technology Network is vital to the success of the CTCN’s project. Learning from best practice technology transfer services. The civil society, finance, private sector and research elsewhere and direct communication with a institutions that comprise the Network, together with National Designated Entities not-for-profit adviser builds trust. (NDEs – technology focal points selected by each country) from 160 countries, share To maximise opportunities, both in the technology expertise through the Centre’s knowledge sharing, capacity building and EU and in developing countries, cooperation technical assistance activities that enable the CTCN to deliver on its mandate. and networking are key. Joint projects Knowledge sharing: The EC’s support has enabled the CTCN to improve the with international partner countries availability and accessibility of knowledge on climate technologies. Through its and exchanges of knowledge help to knowledge portal, www.ctc-n.org, the CTCN offers information on a broad spectrum create synergies and allow the sharing of of adaptation and mitigation technology sectors, as well as country profiles. experiences on how best to innovate. The knowledge portal is now among the world’s largest online sources of climate To accelerate matchmaking technology information. opportunities between technology providers and interested parties in Capacity building: Enhancing human and institutional capacity in developing countries developing countries, the CTCN was in order to remove barriers to decision-making, implementation and financing of climate launched in 2014 with support from the is a key aspect of the CTCN’s work. With support from the European Commission, CTCN EU. Five years later, more than 170 clean Regional Forums have provided a platform for in-person training and best-practice technology transfers are completed or sharing for NDEs. They have also facilitated dialogue between NDEs, Network members underway in more than 90 countries, in and financial institutions. Twenty-two regional technology forums have engaged 900 sectors ranging from agriculture and energy climate technology stakeholders over the past five years. to industry and waste management. The One example of this was a pilot training of trainers programme on “Design Thinking CTCN NDEs are an access point into the for Climate Change Innovation”. Design thinking is an approach to innovation that national innovation system. integrates the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success. Conclusion Hosted at the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology, the training If we are to scale up from individual brought university educators and National Designated Entities from five African projects towards effective climate action countries together to participate in a structured innovation design curriculum, in partnerships, establishing trust is essential. order to foster the creation of relevant endogenous solutions to local and national The Paris Agreement reconfirmed the role challenges. To deliver the training, the CTCN partnered with INDEX, a Danish of technology development and transfer organisation that works to build innovation capacities for sustainable solutions as one of the pillars of the UNFCCC development. negotiations. But we need to encourage new Technical assistance: The CTCN provides technical assistance in response to participatory ways to facilitate North–South, requests submitted by developing countries via their NDEs. Upon receipt of such South–South and triangular cooperation. requests, the Centre quickly mobilises its global Network of climate technology The CTCN and the NDEs can link good experts to design and deliver a customised solution tailored to local needs. business models and new technologies with Laos is one of the countries to receive such assistance. It is considered highly local needs, to create a sound environment vulnerable to climate change, particularly from climate-induced extreme events and sustainable economic activities. As (floods, droughts and soil erosion) that could significantly impact the country’s increasingly important networker and hydrology, ecology, agriculture, fisheries and hydropower development. Six Laotian information brokers, the CTCN and the provinces therefore asked the CTCN to assist in identifying the key climate risks to NDEs can help to build trust and bring their areas and propose relevant actions to address them. those actors together who can and want to Danish Network member DHI Centre on Water and Environment conducted city make a difference. climate vulnerability assessments and identified the most impactful ecosystem-based adaptation interventions to mitigate the risks. Laos was also provided with assistance The views expressed are those of the author on the development of a successful $10 million Green Climate Fund proposal in order and do not reflect the official policy or to fully implement the guidance and scale it up to include additional at-risk provinces position of either the European Commission in Laos. or the German Environment Agency.

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Cooking street food on a wood fire in Chiana, Ghana. An ECOWAS initiative to give Ghanaian women access to LPG stoves is designed to aid economic empowerment, health, quality of life and preservation of forests. © Axel Fassio/CIFOR Empowering women as climate actors Two projects, in Senegal and Ghana, show the transformative power of simple technology to empower working women.

By Monica Maduekwe, Coordinator, ECOWAS Programme on Gender Mainstreaming in Energy Access (ECOW-GEN)

n West Africa, an energy revolution is States (ECOWAS) have adopted the first- In 2014, the ECOWAS Centre for quietly gathering pace. Energy poverty is ever regional policy on gender-responsive Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Ihigh across the region, with less than half energy development. The Climate (ECREEE) launched the ECOWAS Women’s the population having access to electricity. Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) Business Fund. This initiative was This lack of access disproportionately supported implementation of the policy, designed to enable women to start up and affects women more than men. which seeks to ensure improved access to scale up innovative energy businesses Recognising that gender equality will affordable, reliable and sustainable energy across West Africa. play a key role in driving a sustainable for all, through projects and programmes The fund was established on the energy future, the 15 countries of the that meet the energy needs of both premise that women, if given the right Economic Community of West African women and men. support, can be innovative and creative,

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Lessons learnt nature of the project designed to support Women are now in a position to purchase women. Such a fund should work towards their own stove, as they are able to pay for increasing women’s access to finance and it in instalments. The time women save by give them autonomy when it comes to using these stoves means they now have accessing raw materials. more time to spend with their families and The initiative was to take part in other activities. About the ECOWAS Women’s designed to enable The stoves completely eliminate the Business Fund need to burn wood fuel. This saves school The ECOWAS Women’s Business Fund was women to start children from the dangers of smoke established through the financial support up and scale up inhalation and helps to preserve forests. of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) innovative energy and the Spanish Agency for International 2. Economic empowerment of Cooperation and Development (AECID). businesses across Bargny business women The initiative has since been scaled up West Africa Results and achievements through a CTCN-supported project, The project has transformed the earning Mainstreaming Gender for a Climate potential of the women that process fish in Resilient Energy System in ECOWAS. Bargny, Senegal. The project provided them and can make excellent business with their own 4,000 square metre plot of managers. Women, if adequately equipped, land, which the women themselves own. can also actively engage and participate The project built 13 improved furnaces on CTCN SUPPORT FOR fully in driving this new era of green this plot. Having access to these improved ECOWAS GENDER energy development in West Africa. furnaces means the women can now smoke MAINSTREAMING To demonstrate that this vision was up to 15,600 kg of fish per day, worth €13,846. CAPACITY possible, ECREEE awarded small grants of Prior to the project, the women, using the up to €20,000 to two pilot projects: traditional, yet much wasteful technique, Forty-two people (20 men, 22 women) • Promotion of Anomena improved LPG were able to produce 7,000 kg of marketable within 15 newly established energy stoves as a clean-energy initiative for fish per day. ministry gender focal units, as well as cooking – by Anomena Ventures in Ghana; A female-majority steering committee relevant civil society representatives, • Economic empowerment of the female was set up to manage the micro-lending participated in a capacity assessment fish producers of Bargny – by Action fund created through the project. These and extensive training on gender Solidaire International in Senegal. women were equipped with the capacity to analysis of energy policy reports operate and manage the fund themselves. and project documents, gender In 2018, the two projects were assessed The project provided the initial funding, mainstreaming and gender budgeting to determine if they met their objectives. which supported the women in negotiating in the energy sector. The results have been remarkable. an arrangement with a financial institution The project was implemented by for a line of credit worth €15,267. CTCN Network members Partners for 1. Promotion of Anomena improved The credit facility allows the women to Innovation and MDF West Africa Ltd. LPG stoves as a clean-energy buy the raw materials they need to work In addition, the CTCN supported initiative for cooking at a time that suits them. Once dependent women energy entrepreneurs Results and achievements on middlemen, these women are now more together with PFAN through Street food vendors and women self-reliant and can negotiate the market mentoring on project development entrepreneurs operating from homes price of what they produce in line with and financing, and arranging investor in Ghana were supplied with Anomena their commercial interests. meetings for participants. liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stoves to “It was exciting to meet a lot of empower them economically. At least 5,000 Lessons learnt women across the continent that women were reached through awareness- The most important challenge in setting up are doing so much in the renewable raising and gender-sensitising workshops an energy-related project for women is to energy space from off-grid energy to as well as training on the safe use of LPG make sure they take ownership of it. waste-to-energy,” said Hannah Kabir, appliances. The project shows that women have CEO, CREEDS Energy, Nigeria. “It As a result, workers and school children the capacity to generate high amounts of was definitely an eye opener but also now have access to fast cooked meals in revenue through work if they are equipped encouraging to see that there are a the morning. Women entrepreneurs have with modern, energy-efficient technologies. lot more of us out there doing good access to improved stoves, and confidence It also demonstrates the importance things.” in how to use them. Beneficiaries are able and value of establishing a micro-lending to cook within their own homes. fund as part of a project – whatever the

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Harnessing CTCN services How can countries make the most of what the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) has to offer?

By Elisha N. Moyo, Principal Climate Change Researcher, Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate, and CTCN National Designated Entity (NDE) for Zimbabwe

espite developing countries’ responded to four such technical assistance climate technologies (including linking commitments to climate change requests over the past four years in climate technology projects with financing Dadaptation and mitigation Zimbabwe opportunities). efforts, the road to meeting international To make the most of what CTCN has to obligations and national aspirations offer, beneficiary countries could consider Aligning the CTCN offer with remains long. Climate change is a fast- the following points. countries’ needs evolving science and is both cross-sectoral Beneficiary countries should align their and multi-dimensional. This can make Understanding climate technology requests to the CTCN with key global understanding climate change challenges scope climate change governance frameworks. and opportunities difficult. First, beneficiary countries need to These include the UN Framework The sheer technical complexity of understand the climate technology Convention on Climate Change, the the climate change challenge explains, in conceptual framework in its broader Paris Agreement and the Sustainable part, why developing countries continue sense: that it encompasses knowledge, Development Goals, as well as key climate to lose lives, property, livelihoods and skills, techniques and equipment to reduce change findings and recommendations infrastructure to climate change. It is also greenhouse gases or adapt to climate from the Intergovernmental Panel on why developing countries generally fail change. Climate Change and other bodies. to access many of the resources – such as This will enable developing countries Countries should align their technical the Green Climate Fund (GCF) – that are to seek appropriate transformational assistance requests with national climate designed to accelerate climate action. technical assistance that deals with the plans such as Nationally Determined A key resource that countries can call root causes of their vulnerability to climate Contributions (NDCs), Technology Needs upon to help tackle climate change – and change, as well as other systemic issues Assessments (TNAs) and Technology remove barriers to climate action – is the that are often ignored. Often, beneficiary ActionPlans (TAPs). To strengthen the Climate Technology Centre and Network’s countries seek hardware investments such relevance of CTCN services in countries (CTCN’s) technical assistance. CTCN has as equipment at the expense of the critical and facilitate the uptake of findings from enablers of sustainable home-grown CTCN projects, it is critical that countries climate action or co-generated climate are sensitive to their own national solutions. circumstances. Countries should clearly seek to Understanding the CTCN further low-carbon, climate-resilient efforts It’s also critical that countries understand that are in line with their developmental the CTCN’s mandate, services and aspirations, economic blueprints and The best way to opportunities. The CTCN’s objective is to needs. effectively utilise enhance the development and transfer of technology for action on climate change. Identifying niches CTCN services is to Its clear mission is to stimulate technology The best way to effectively utilise CTCN identify niches where cooperation and enhance the development services is to identify niches where and transfer of technologies to developing those services can have most impact. For those services can countries. example, countries could seek to de-risk have most impact As well as technical assistance, possible future climate investments the CTCN offers developing countries before scaling up potential climate actions services such as knowledge-sharing through feasibility studies using CTCN’s and training, as well as collaboration on various network members’ expertise.

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The CTCN has more than 500 network members in the private sector, public sector, academia and civil society organisations.

Using national climate technology focal points Climate technology focal points – the National Designated Entitles or NDEs to give us our official title – play a critical role in enabling successful CTCN projects. Our role is to increase knowledge of CTCN services and opportunities within beneficiary countries, and to facilitate technology transfer ‘matchmaking’. Beneficiary countries could call on NDEs to help them – through CTCN services – to achieve the nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets. For example, the CTCN could help if a country needs practical technical help to develop a policy framework, user manuals, training or minimum energy performance standards (MEPS).

Opening up CTCN opportunities to innovators, new actors and the private sector CTCN supports endogenous technology development and transfer. There is therefore a powerful opportunity for innovators and new climate actors to utilise CTCN resources to test their innovations before deployment (see article on page 47). Involving a wide range of stakeholders and facilitating ownership of CTCN processes and outputs is a critical foundation for widespread deployment of climate A new arrival at the solar-powered Nkayi District technologies, products and services. Hospital, Zimbabwe. The hospital is capable of running CTCN can help countries to generate life-saving services and performing operations when new private investment in climate action. there is no grid access, solely using stored solar power. For example, CTCN can facilitate exchange © Karin Schermbrucker/UNDP visits and organise knowledge-sharing platforms. In these, climate technology champions with similar national circumstances share experiences on how develop high-quality project proposals development of a climate-smart agriculture CTCN services have transformed economic, to request part of its 2019 GCF readiness manual, which was integrated into all social and environmental development in funds. With CTCN support, Zimbabwe national agriculture learning curricula their countries. is more likely to succeed in its bids for and forms a standard approach against Showing the economic value in energy funding to respond to the country’s climate climate change and promoting sustainable and water efficiency, for example, through mitigation and adaptation needs. This development. initiatives like these could encourage the demonstrates how beneficiary countries Zimbabwe continues to make use of private sector to invest in low-carbon could make use of CTCN services to CTCN services to identify and remove technologies and production lines. further their climate change management barriers to effective implementation of programmes. the Paris Agreement through requesting Success in Zimbabwe A number of other CTCN projects have technical assistance or capacity-building to Zimbabwe has made use of the CTCN to been completed in Zimbabwe, including the close knowledge gaps.

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A member of the cooperative ‘Orissa Tribal Women Barefoot Solar Engineers Association’ installing solar panels in Tinginaput village, India. Promoting gender neutrality in its climate solutions is central to CTCN’s philosophy. © Abbie Trayler-Smith/Panos Pictures/ Department for International Development

Technology to drive change The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) has a pivotal role to play in helping countries develop technological solutions essential for tackling climate change.

By Mette Møglestue, Director, Department for Climate, Energy and Environment, Norad (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) and former Chair, CTCN Advisory Board

limate change is undermining climate technology that is relevant for their Change (UNFCCC) next year. In line with our efforts to achieve the investment plans across different sectors. the Paris Agreement, the level of ambition CSustainable Development Goals Norway has put climate change of the NDCs will increase. (SDGs). Without urgent action, climate mitigation and adaptation at the heart of change impacts could push an additional its foreign and development policy. The Access to technology 100 million people into poverty by 2030. Norwegian government will increase the Technology may help with the solutions Aligning development and climate change level of climate financing to reach the goals needed to achieve these increased is a challenge for all countries, in particular of the Paris Agreement. It will prioritise ambitions. The CTCN, as the operating for the most vulnerable nations like small measures that are in line with other arm of the Technology Framework of the island states and sub-Saharan African countries’ plans for climate action and low- Paris Agreement, is playing a crucial role countries. emission development. in ensuring that developing countries have So I am pleased to observe the Climate The next generation of countries’ access to the necessary technology. Technology Centre and Network’s (CTCN’s) Nationally Determined Contributions Firstly, the CTCN can monitor and hard work and influence, assisting (NDCs) will be delivered to the United measure the current status of emissions developing countries in their search for Nations Framework Convention on Climate and resilience. This is essential for

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you to download the Yr.no app. Weather Finally, I would like to highlight the and climate services are at the core of CTCN’s potential to make a difference. anticipatory action, adaptation planning Despite its modest annual budget, the and climate-resilient development – and CTCN is the gateway to a large network of should serve as a global public good. We are immensely capable, climate change experts. looking forward to seeing how the work of It also has a vast array of potential clients: Climate technology the CTCN will evolve in this area, which is it is a body under the UNFCCC serving the actions must ensure key to increasing the resilience of the most Paris Agreement, available to all developing vulnerable. countries. that both women The CTCN is currently working on 171 and men are engaged Gender and climate change projects in more than 90 countries around Women commonly face higher risks the world, through its network of more in decision-making and greater burdens from the impacts than 500 members in private sector, public processes, and in the of climate change. Their needs must sector, academia and other institutions. development and use be addressed to ensure effective and It has a unique insight into countries’ equitable climate change actions. At the technology needs and has already started of technologies same time, women bring new perspectives work on a multi-country approach. Taking and innovations in identifying and a holistic view on several countries in implementing solutions. a region may increase the efficiency of countries to develop their own climate As a member and former Chair of technology transfer and development, for change emissions reporting, according to the Advisory Board of the CTCN, I have both mitigation and adaptation. the transparency framework agreed at the strong impression that the CTCN Given the change now underway in COP24 in Katowice. systematically is gender sensitive – in its how financial institutions include climate Secondly, the CTCN secures energy technical assistance and in relation to change risks, I do believe that the CTCN access from renewable resources such as partners, publications and other efforts and its partners will play an important part wind energy, solar power and hydropower. exploring the topic of gender and climate of the globally needed transformational And equally important, the CTCN assists change solutions. change. in reducing GHG emissions by improving Gender equality is a standalone goal energy efficiency and waste management, in the SDGs, and at the same time is and designing better industrial and incorporated across the entire agenda. CTCN IN THE agricultural processes. Tackling climate change demands that DOMINICAN REPUBLIC And thirdly, technology is assisting everyone’s experience and skills are utilised. countries in adapting to the adverse effects But technologies are not gender neutral. Technical assistance for of climate change through the CTCN Therefore, climate technology actions must meteorological services providing technical assistance. The aim is ensure that both women and men are to enhance the use of climate technologies engaged in decision-making processes, and As part of its climate change such as drought-resistant crops, sea walls in the development and use of technologies. adaptation activities, the Dominican and early-warning systems. And both women and men should benefit Institute for Integral Development Norway has decided to substantially from their outcomes. Again, I am pleased to (IDDI) looked to the CTCN for step up efforts in climate adaptation, see the CTCN being active and vocal in the assistance in developing new resilience and fighting hunger. Supporting inclusion of women and girls. technologies to limit the damage risk-informed early action is an important suffered from extreme weather part of this. Norway has for a long time Future solutions events. been a political and financial supporter of At the last Advisory Board meeting of The project created a community- efforts to strengthen climate services at the CTCN, the representative of youth based early warning system in the national level, through the capacity- organisations voiced their demand to be high-risk areas of Santo Domingo to building of National Meteorological and included in the climate debate. At the UN alert the population of impending Hydrological Services. Climate Summit in September 2019, the hurricanes. We were one of the initiators of the voice of youth was indeed present and This included strengthening Global Framework for Climate Services, strong. Regarding technology, the younger communications protocols; and we are advocating the use of openly generation has a comparative advantage. identifying new technologies available weather and risk information. Future solutions will depend on their (including mobile phone app); The Norwegian Meteorological Institute education and capacity for innovation. and brokering private financing has a free and open data policy and I look forward to following how the UN, for development and scale-up of provides free weather information for regions and countries will include young communication. the whole world. I recommend all of people’s voices.

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Connecting investors with climate projects How can we encourage more private investment, particularly to nurture the entrepreneurs in developing countries that will be critical for meeting the climate challenge?

By Peter Storey, Founder and Global Coordinator, Private Financing Advisory Network (PFAN)

rapid scale-up of investment in per cent of this finance went to domestic employ innovative business models and clean energy generation capacity projects. Despite their often great clean depend on shifting regulatory frameworks, A is required to replace energy energy generation potential and the only investors with very deep local generation based on fossil fuels and avoid significant socio-economic impacts that knowledge would view them as anything the worst impacts of climate change. At the could be generated, low and middle-income but risky. same time, significant investment will have countries (LMICs) receive only a very small For 12 years, PFAN has built up a global to flow towards increasing the resilience of fraction of global private investment for network of financing experts who have the vulnerable populations and helping them clean energy. requisite local knowledge of the markets to adapt to the changes already here and Unlocking private-sector finance in in which they operate to both coach those still to come. Governments alone will support of climate action in developing entrepreneurs and advise investors. Our not be able to provide enough investment markets is one of the main challenges that coaches help SMEs improve their business to achieve the impact required. governments, international organisations plans, structure their financial models and As technology prices continue to and development banks have been clearly define their investment asks, before fall, clean energy projects become more grappling with since the early days of presenting them to potential investors. profitable and the appetite of investors for climate change discussions. PFAN has been Our investment facilitation team helps such projects grows. So now is a time of tackling this challenge since 2006. We have investors access opportunities that match enormous potential for the development of used small amounts of public funding to their interests. clean energy capacity at scale around the leverage large amounts of private-sector world. Globally, 90 per cent of investment investment for clean energy and climate Barriers remain in clean energy generation capacity comes resilience projects in LMICs. To date, $1.6 We have seen enormous growth in clean from private sources. But in 2013–15, 93 billion has been leveraged for 124 projects energy markets worldwide, including since PFAN’s inception in 2006. large growth in the involvement of the PFAN has sought to address barriers to private finance sector. However, a number large-scale private investment in small and of significant barriers to the successful medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in LMICs’ financing of clean energy projects still climate-adaptation and clean-energy remain: sectors. • Large generation projects, such as On the supply side, entrepreneurs have wind parks or large solar plants, tend Now is a time of difficulty developing solid, investor-ready to require high upfront investment enormous potential business plans without outside assistance. and have long payback periods. This This is because SMEs may not have enough makes investments in those projects for the development knowledge of the language and priorities of still high risk, especially in countries of clean energy (international) investors. with unstable regulatory environments On the demand side, investors find (including, for example, insecurity capacity at scale it difficult to assess risks associated with around land ownership). around the world investing in clean energy and climate • Smaller projects needing smaller adaptation businesses in LMICs. Since investment, conversely, often have these businesses tend to offer new difficulty attracting funding as potential technologies in underdeveloped markets, investors find the transaction costs for

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A micro hydroelectric power plant in the Sia-Khak district, Afghanistan. Political risk and lack of local knowledge are two of the main deterrents for international private investors. © Joel van Houdt/UNDP

due diligence, reporting and foreign of energy storage. This could change the • Victoria Seeds, a seed company stocking currency risk too high. way the clean energy sector functions a new range of fodder seeds, which, • Establishing clean energy generation altogether. together with a change in grazing projects tends to take a long time. These habits, would allow farmers to increase projects need regulatory approval, Within the clean energy sector, on-grid their herd size, even when experiencing adequate land, and power purchase solar and wind energy generation have reduced rainfall; and agreements before they can start been a favourite of governments because of • the Baobabs, a sustainable housing looking for private investment. Projects their affordability, reliability and scalability. estate development that restored and find it difficult to finance these early Investors have followed suit. Other clean protected nearby mangrove forests, development phases. While start-up energy sources and applications, such as close to Pemba in Mozambique. incubators can support early-stage energy efficiency, biomass and e-transport, businesses that offer highly innovative vary more in cost per kWh. They are also PFAN aims to make these adaptation solutions, similar facilities tend not to much more difficult to scale and include benefits explicit. We want to encourage exist for businesses applying proven more external variables (the sourcing of both project developers and investors to technology in a new market. fuel for biomass plants, for example). These consider how they can be maximised in • The operation of on-grid clean energy therefore still receive less interest from any project they develop or finance. generation facilities in LMICs tends financiers. Between the ever-decreasing price to be hampered by poor distribution Beyond clean energy and climate and increasing sophistication of clean infrastructure. This leads to high change mitigation, private financing for energy technology, the rapid development transmission and distribution losses climate change adaptation is still in its of energy storage, the growing public and affects generation facilities’ bottom infancy. ‘Pure’ adaptation projects such awareness of the seriousness of the climate line. as climate-proofing of infrastructure emergency and increasing desire for energy • Finally, the speed at which the or developing coping mechanisms for independence in many countries, we see technology changes, combined with vulnerable populations are generally no reason why private investment in the long lead times, makes investors the remit of governments or NGOs. But climate action should not continue to grow hesitant. By the time a project is up and many commercially viable projects, in the rapidly over the coming decades. However, running it is often already outdated. clean energy sector and beyond, provide programmes such as PFAN, which offer It is also anticipated that in the near adaptation benefits. support to entrepreneurs in LMICs, will future, big strides will be made to Examples of such projects that have remain necessary to ensure that those improve the capacity and affordability been supported by PFAN include: countries do not miss the financing boat.

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Case study: Growing green in Chile A recent study analysed how sustainable technologies can transform Chile’s agriculture sector. What must be done to increase their uptake?

By Isabel Quiroz, Founder-Director, iQonsulting

griculture is an important producers in Chile are micro, small and evaluate the main obstacles to investing in contributor to Chile’s economy. medium enterprises (MSMEs). And climate technologies facing the country’s AIn 2018 it grew by 5.8 per cent, while Chile has had clean production agrifood MSMEs. CTCN commissioned compared with 4 per cent for the economy agreements in place for many years, the The Carbon Trust, based in England, and as a whole. The sector accounts for more take-up of climate technologies among iQonsulting of Chile to conduct the study, than 10 per cent of Chile’s exports and agrifood MSMEs in Chile has been which would form part of the Chilean employs 32 per cent of its workforce. low. This is affecting these companies’ state’s programme to cut emissions However, agriculture is responsible competitiveness. by 30 per cent between 2017 and 2030, for 13 per cent of Chile’s greenhouse gas Chile’s Agency for Climate Change reduce poverty and inequality, and move (GHG) emissions, from energy used for and Sustainability therefore asked the towards development that is low carbon, production. The sector also consumes Climate Technology Centre and Network sustainable, competitive and inclusive. large amounts of water. Most agrifood (CTCN) for technical assistance to The Sustainable Development Goals

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• propose funding instruments for 5. biodigesters; agrifood MSMEs to allow adoption of 6. biogas; climate technologies and improve the 7. automation and synchronisation of sustainability of the sector. conveyor belts; 8. photovoltaic solar energy; Chile’s production development 9. energy economisers; corporation CORFO estimates that 10. biomass for burners. adoption of climate technologies in the agricultural sector could cut CO2 emissions Technologies applicable to bovine chains by 18.4 million tonnes. The study will help 11. bio-secure livestock transport. Chile to achieve this through: • strengthened local institutional Technologies applicable to dairy cattle capacity, so that authorities can 12. pre-chillers; replicate learnings to other agri- 13. cooling heat recovery units. chains (and potentially other sectors), catalysing further sustainable growth Technologies applicable to Agro chains within Chile’s MSMEs; 14. drip irrigation; • recommendations to inform the 15. spray and micro spray; implementation of a Green Investment 16. gravity irrigation systems; Bank, which is being developed in 17. automation: programmers; parallel to this study; 18. irrigation; • recommendations to help facilitate the 19. multi-spectral vision analysis; integration of the agricultural sector as 20. telemetry (used in precision agriculture). a priority sector for the banks. Specific technology for vegetables and Los Lagos region, Chile, a priority region for Developing the study cereals: the study. © Joe Dunckley/Alamy Stock Photo We developed the study in several stages: 21. radiative gas dryers; 1. Prioritise agricultural chains: we 22. solar drying tunnel; identified those chains that had the 23. use of solar energy for air drying. greatest contribution to GDP, high (SDGs) addressed in the study are SDG 8 concentration of MSMEs, and high 4. Identify drivers for technological (decent work and economic growth), SDG level of emissions, energy use or water change: we selected three to study in 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure) consumption. The prioritised chains were: depth: i) clean-production agreements; and SDG 13 (climate action). beef, cows’ milk, annual crops, fruit trees, ii) energy price reduction through Under the overarching objective of vineyards and vegetables. the introduction of non-conventional determining barriers to investment, the renewable energy (NCRE); and iii) local and specific objectives were: 2. Prioritise regions with high international demand pressure to improve • map the country’s agrifood chain, concentration of the selected chains: standards. identifying points in the production Metropolitan, O’Higgins, Maule, Bio Bio, process that justify investment in Araucanía, Los Lagos and Los Ríos. 5. Identify financing options for new technologies to help reduce GHG technology: we analysed financing emissions and promote climate change 3. Select clean climate technologies from government programmes, such adaptation; and supply chains: for this, we surveyed as FOGAPE (Small Business Guarantee • evaluate how effective Chile’s National the prioritised agricultural chains. More Fund) and FOGAIN (General Investment Council for Clean Production than 100 technologies were identified and Guarantee Fund). We also analysed instruments have been in removing 23 were prioritised as easy to implement as private financing for MSMEs from banks non-financial barriers and hence, well as having a high level of development and financial institutions. The analysis improving uptake of climate in Chile. The 23 were divided into general included benchmarking with several technologies and competitiveness technologies and others assigned to a countries in Europe, Canada, China and among MSMEs; specific agri-chain. They were: Colombia. We analysed many aspects, • make recommendations for improving focusing on: these instruments; Technologies applicable to all chains i. Guarantees required in bank loans for • analyse current national and 1. efficient lighting systems; SME technology financing. Chile is international funding instruments and 2. efficient ventilation systems; above average in the level of guarantees their effectiveness for promoting clean 3. speed variator; required: 68 per cent compared with the technologies among MSMEs; 4. water heating with solar energy; average of 52 per cent.

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ii. Interest rates for MSMEs. Interest rates Financial resource barriers institutions such as The Office of in Chile have fallen over the last five i. Limited available capital for energy Agricultural Studies and Policies years. However, rates in Chile are still management. (ODEPA), the Institute of Agricultural above the average (only surpassed by ii. High costs per individual transaction. Development (INDAP), unions and Colombia). iii. Lack of access to loans with favourable regional ministerial secretariats. iii. Difference between interest rates conditions for MSMEs to invest in clean vi. Technical support for aggregation for MSMEs and large companies. Of technologies. solutions at three levels (MSMEs, the countries analysed, Chile has the suppliers and financing). This could greatest difference in rates. This must Barriers of commitment include: be improved if we are to promote i. Requirement for concrete actions. • alternative financing such as the incorporation of clean climate ii. Insufficient collaboration and crowdfunding, leasing and international technologies in agricultural MSMEs in leadership. funds (aimed at MSMEs and suppliers); Chile. iii. Insufficient policies that regulate or • technology fairs for MSMEs; iv. Growth in new financial products or encourage clean technologies. • tenders (focused at MSME associations); financing options. Chile has a low rate • aggregation of imports (focused at of innovation in financial products. 7. Develop solutions to remove the suppliers). v. Factorisation volume. Chile has declining barriers: among the possible solutions vii. Map the current Clean Production rates for factorisation, contrary to the agreed with the industry are: Agreements (Acuerdos de Producción trends in other countries. i. Complementing traditional credits Limpia, APLs) that are related to with more tailored solutions such as prioritised climate technologies. factoring, leasing and crowdfunding. viii. Explore the potential of integrating the ii. Promote government-backed transition prioritised climate technologies into the programmes and aggregation to goals of the APLs. commercial banks. ix. Promote greater coordination between iii. Promote education programmes in the extension programmes of INDAP There are clear various technologies and forms of and the Agency for Sustainability and financing. Climate Change (ASCC). financial incentives iv. Promote aggregation solutions at three x. The ASCC must report on regional for farmers who levels: technology fairs, imports and adaptation programmes on prioritised financing. climate technologies. switch to more v. Certification of prioritised technologies. xi. Promote coordination with the sustainable cultivation potential Chilean Climate Green Bank 8. Identify how to ensure long-term (Banco Verde del Clima de Chile) to techniques uptake of clean technologies: the create and finance a portfolio of climate necessary actions are framed in public technology projects. interventions and promote a long-term 6. Identify barriers to the adoption of self-sustainable approach: This study made it possible to evaluate clean technologies by MSMEs: we grouped i. Involve more private capital obstacles and propose a methodology to these into four categories: (commercial banks and other investors) study other productive chains with a high to generate change at scale. This proportion of MSMEs. Knowledge barriers could include using more alternative The study is now in the hands of the i. Lack of knowledge to assess the funds compared with traditional sustainability agency and is part of the financial viability of climate technology loans. The sector could learn about inputs for studies in other areas of the projects and clean low-investment the amplifying effect of the Fund for economy. technologies; Non-Conventional Energy and Efficient Although the sector generates GHG ii. Ignorance of benefits versus Energy Management (FENOGE) and emissions, it also has huge potential investments costs in clean technologies; seek to replicate it. to reduce them. There are clear financial iii. Lack of equipment suppliers with a ii. MSMEs and suppliers to take a more incentives for farmers who switch to local understanding; active role in obtaining alternative more sustainable cultivation techniques iv. MSMEs do not know the technologies, funds for technical assistance and and introduce climate technologies on doubt performance claims and are wary financing (such as international funds their land. about technical support. directed to technological suppliers and With a wide array of potential agro MSMEs). mitigation measures at its disposal, the Technical barriers iii. Workshops to demonstrate new agricultural sector should play a full role i. The main one is the low development of technology for the prioritised sectors in Chile’s contribution to halting global equipment and service providers. of agriculture. These should involve warming.

CTCN: Climate Change Strategies ABOUT US 83

Climate Change Strategies 2020

limate Change Strategies is a new, annual publication designed to highlight The Climate Technology Centre and the role of technology transfer in the fight against climate change. The Network (CTCN) promotes the development CClimate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN), created by the UN system and transfer of environmentally friendly to achieve this task, is the natural focal point. We hope that this publication will technologies for energy-efficient, low- help give a better understanding of the urgency and significance of its mission, carbon and climate-resilient development. and encourage all with an interest in this field to engage with the Network. If you provide relevant services or require technical assistance, please don’t hesitate to The CTCN matches developing country make contact. needs for technology equipment, techniques, practical knowledge and Sustainability skills with the world-class expertise of This publication is sustainably produced and carbon neutral, with all emissions its global Network of over 500 academic, that we couldn’t avoid, being offset. civil society, finance, private sector and • The paper used in this publication is certified by PEFC (Programme for research institutions to deliver tailored Endorsement of Forest Certification), which is an international non-profit, technical assistance, capacity building, and non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting sustainable forest knowledge sharing. management through independent third-party certification. • The publications are printed by Buxton Press, which has been recognised The CTCN is delivering technology by the UK printing industry for its environmental management. Buxton assistance in 93 countries on a broad range uses 100 per cent vegetable-based inks, alcohol-free printing and ultra-low of sectors, including agriculture, energy, chemistry processes for plate-making. It has a particular focus on waste industry, transport, water and waste reduction and energy conservation, and has worked with the Carbon Trust management. to minimise its power use. • The excess carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing of the paper The CTCN is the implementation arm of the and printing have been balanced with carbon credits from the World Land United Nations Framework Convention on Trust. The trust uses the avoided deforestation technique (REDD) to protect Climate Change Technology Mechanism, threatened forests of very high conservation importance. and is co-hosted by the UN Environment • Our publishing offices use renewable energy sources for power and heating. Programme and the United Nations • Copies are distributed using carbon neutral services. Industrial Development Organization.

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