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REPORTS - SPECIAL REPORTS |
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Methodological and Technological Issues in Technology Transfer |
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4.5.2 Capacity-building for assessment, agreement and implementation stages
Many ways of developing capabilities for the assessment, agreement, and implementation
stages of technology transfer are suggested by development experience: (1) formal
training of employees, (2) technological gatekeeping, by keeping informed of technical
literature, and forming links with other enterprises, professional and trade organisations,
and research institutions; (3) learning by doing-operational experience such as
through twinning arrangements with other organisations. The experience with implementing
the Montreal Protocol provides a useful example for capacity building within enterprises
(see Chapter 3 and 5); a multilateral
fund established by the treaty supports training, research and network building.
More fundamentally, there may also be a need to develop capacity to create a need
for ESTs. This can be undertaken by developing a roundtable process, a national
dialogue on climate change issues of organised stakeholders representing priority
sectors and various private as well as public interests to consider mitigation
and adaptation options (Van Berkel et al., 1997).
Capacity for negotiation by recipient countries at the agreement stage can overcome
some of the biases inherent in development assistance. Donors are often biased
in favour of companies and technologies based in their own countries. International
capital provided under preferential terms and conditions is often most important
for financing technology transfer (Van Berkel and Arkestein, 1998). Multilateral
assistance agencies prefer technologies that have a proven commercial track
record. Their procurement policies, which encourage competitive bidding, often
preclude support for the acquisition of the most advanced technologies that
might be environmentally sounder, but carry additional technical risks. A survey
of technology and technology needs carried out on behalf on SBSTA among non-Annex
II Parties found that specific national and mitigation needs still have to be
assessed in detail (Van Berkel and Arkestein, 1998).
There is also a need for increased publicity and awareness among consumers on
the subject of energy efficiency. This becomes very relevant when considering
domestic and commercial consumers, for whom there has been a felt need for large-scale
awareness programmes as well as for demonstration projects. Consumer education
could also be considered a form of capacity building that makes consumers more
able to make intelligent purchases and investments that save them money. One example
is the World Bank's Lithuania Energy Efficiency/Housing Pilot Project, in which
the World Bank provides credit to condominium associations to improve the energy
efficiency of their residential buildings (World Bank, 1996). The project provides
extensive capacity building to allow homeowners to understand the technologies,
costs and benefits, how to finance with credit, and the contracting mechanisms
for implementing investments with private-sector firms.
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