15.6.1 Incentives for Transnational Technology Transfer
Similar to in-country technology transfer, the incentives for the international
transfer and diffusion of coastal-adaptation technologies are not predominantly
commercial. Amongst the stakeholders, the goals of the international business
community are increased global market share for their products and hence, increased
profits. However, as stated before, the coastal-technology sector is fragmented
and consists mostly of small companies that lack the resources to initiate technology
transfer. Scientists need to be aware of new scientific advances so that their
own accomplishments do not re-invent already published work, and that their
research both builds on complimentary work and identifies other leading researchers.
To fulfil their missions, government organisations must have access to the best
available technologies and latest information. Therefore, national governments
are the primary investors in and sources of coastal-adaptation technologies,
and governments at all levels comprise the predominant market.
Coastal adaptation to climate change is a transnational issue-it cannot be
addressed within the borders of one country, no matter how effective and creative
the decision-makers, innovative the academic relationships and dynamic the private
sector are in advancing the deployment of appropriate technologies. Alliances
for technology transfer between countries are a way to leverage shortages or
complement the skills of local scientists and engineers, share financial and
other resources and develop and extend access of technical assistance and capacity
building to strategic locations around the world (Kozmetsky, 1990). An example
is the EU Marine and Science Technology (MAST) programme, which requires partnerships
of at least two non-affiliated partners from two member states or from one member
state and an associated state. The EU International Co-operation with Developing
Countries (INCO-DC) and ASEAN Environment Programme (ASEP) are two examples
of many programmes supporting scientific cooperation between industrialised
and developing countries to stimulate collaborative research and broaden knowledge
of all partners.
An example of effective multinational, cross-institutional cooperation is the
development of airborne lidar (light detection and ranging) technology for shoreline
topography and bathymetry surveying (Lillycrop and Estep, 1995). The technology
offers a significant advance in capabilities for collecting, analysing, using
and retaining critical data for coastal management. One airborne lidar system
for bathymetry surveying was developed by a small Canadian company, with financial
support from the Canadian government. In 1988, the United States' Army Corps
of Engineers and the Canadian government began a shared-cost programme for the
design, construction and field verification of the lidar technology. The original
Canadian private-sector developer provided technical-design support, an American
surveying company provided evaluation services, and both governments provided
financial and operational support. Lidar is now operational and has been applied
in a number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, The
Netherlands and Australia.
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