The Delhi Statement on Global Cooperation on Climate Technology, adopted at the conclusion of the two-day ‘Delhi High Level Conference on Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer,’ on Friday called for urgently accelerating the large scale global deployment of environmentally sound and climate-friendly technologies.
Focussing on minimising the time lag between development of such technologies, transfer and deployment, the statement said, it should be promoted by sustained and enhanced international cooperation as well as appropriate national action.
Appreciating the roles of both public and private financing, the participants agreed that public financing could catalyse activities such as capacity-building, needs assessments, and the more rapid deployment and adoption of technologies, especially in those developing countries most vulnerable to climate change, Connie Hedegaard, chair of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-15) said.
“Enhanced cooperation worldwide is essential at all stages of technology cycle. Existing mechanisms, as well as any new and innovative mechanisms in the public and public-private domains for global cooperation, should enhance adaptation and use of environmentally-sound and climate-friendly technologies and the joint research and development of new technologies and products.
“Concepts such as a centre, or networks of centres, to support and stimulate rapid development and deployment of innovative technologies should be explored. Such institutions should also promote collaboration between governments, industries and research communities of developed and developing countries,” the statement said.
The participants agreed that the wide diversity of available technologies and the conditions of their applicability indicated a need for periodic assessment, evaluation and expert guidance on new and emerging technologies. “There is a critical need to improve the identification of, access to, and deployment of technologies for adaptation, especially to developing countries that are most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, the statement said, while urging upon the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, at their 15th session at Copenhagen, to take into consideration the elements of this statement.
