Methodological and Technological issues in Technology Transfer

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12.5.6 Technology Transfer among non-Annex I Countries

Technology transfer among tropical countries, and in general among developing countries is crucial, given the similarities of forest types, silvicultural practices, socio-economic and resource conditions. There is a relatively less prominent but increasing technology transfer among non-Annex I countries. The government initiated programmes are either on a bilateral basis or through regional cooperation arrangements such as the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) or Southern African Development Community (SADC) with collaboration in areas likely to enhance technology transfer, including natural resource management, trade and investment. For example, during the 1997 forest fires in Indonesia, there was an extensive regional collaboration and exchange of techniques on fire suppression and subsequent fire prevention measures. Regional community networks, involved in conservation and climate-friendly activities, have been used to exchange techniques among developing countries. Private sector driven technology transfer has not been as prominent but is likely to increase due to economic liberalisation and globalisation in non-Annex I countries. Technology transfer among developing countries in the forestry sector has mainly been through capacity building and exchange of key needs such as genetically improved species (e.g., Mexico and Brazil) and procurement of provenance-relevant seeds. For example, in 1998 the political party subsequently elected to the state government in Acre, Brazil sent a resource manager to Costa Rica to learn from the experiences of that country about applicable conservation techniques. Inadequate technology transfer among non-Annex I countries is primarily due to lack of targeted funding. This could be addressed by the multilateral and bilateral mechanisms under the convention.

South-South technology transfer is increasing in scale and has potential for being highly cost-effective. Examples in the climate change context include the Costa Rican Joint Implementation Office assistance to other Latin countries in establishing programmes to evaluate JI projects; sharing of carbon accounting and monitoring experience and tools from ECOSUR in Chiapas, Mexico, with other institutes and NGOs throughout Mexico and other Latin countries, including Brazil; and Malaysian reduced impact logging technicians training Indonesians (Tipper and de Jong, 1998; Jones, 1996).

Table 12.5 Policies and Measures to Promote Technology Transfer Between Countries
DOMINANT PATHWAY POLICIES, MEASURES AND PROGRAMMES
GOVERNMENT DRIVEN
Multilateral Agencies (World Bank, FAO, ADB, GEF, etc)
  • Increase funding to forestry sector projects and programmes
  • Funding for research on causes of deforestation and impacts of policies
  • Facilitate grants and low interest loans for sustainable forest harvesting, industrial plantations, Protected Areas, forest restoration
  • Strengthen forest certification programmes
  • Tax or import Duty on timber from non sustainable logged forests
  • Setting up forest monitoring and verification programmes in non-Annex I countries
  • Funding for institution and human capacity building and for improving R&D capabilities in non-Annex I countries
  • GEF should include forestry in mitigation projects in its operational programmes

Bilateral development assistance

  • Increase funding to forestry sector projects and programmes
  • Link technology transfer to grants and concessional loans
  • Facilitate grants and low interest loans for sustainable forest harvesting, industrial plantations, Protected Areas, forest restoration
  • Funding for institution and human capacity building and for improving R&D capabilities in non-Annex I countries.
PRIVATE SECTOR DRIVEN
Climate Change Related Mechanisms (JI/CDM)
  • CDM potentially offers opportunity for facilitating technology transfer in forestry mitigation and adaptation projects
  • Set up and expedite monitoring and verification procedures
  • Brokerage institutions to assist in preparation of proposals
Timber Industries
  • Financial incentives (such as tax concessions) to sustainable harvesting of natural forests and forest plantations
  • Facilitate agreements between industries in Annex I countries with timber industries and farmer cooperatives in non-Annex I countries
COMMUNITY DRIVEN
International NGOs
  • NGOs could monitor timber certification and import of sustainable timber
  • Alliance for conservation and sustainable use of forests
  • International verification and monitoring on logging practices and methods
  • Public awareness campaigns



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