GCF and CTCN: Expanding green technology assistance in developing countries

The Green Climate Fund and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) are stepping up collaboration to accelerate the development and transfer of technologies for energy-efficient, low-carbon and climate-resilient development.

This partnership is well illustrated through the GCF Readiness Programme that has approved funding to support the governments of Ghana, Myanmar and Tonga in advancing green technology initiatives to be delivered by the Climate Technology Centre.

Like seed funding, GCF Readiness resources will be used by the countries to further the deployment of the technologies they have identified as central to meeting their climate action goals.

The scope of activities includes conducting feasibility studies and assessments, collecting key data and establishing the necessary systems and institutional capacities needed to introduce or scale up renewable energy sources, climate-resilient agriculture technologies, and climate information and early warning systems, among others. USD 890,000 in Readiness resources have been approved for the three countries’ technical assistance plans with CTCN.

In addition to engagement on Readiness, GCF and CTCN have organised parallel regional meetings for national designated representatives of both GCF and CTCN to exchange updates and identify areas to work together. For example, in July 2017 the respective national representatives from Pacific island countries met in Tonga to discuss priorities and how GCF can help advance countries’ green technology needs. This followed similar meetings in Indonesia in April during the GCF Structured Dialogue with Asia, and a GCF Regional Workshop for Eastern Europe and Central Asia in Georgia in June.

“The collaboration between GCF and CTCN directly responds to GCF Board guidance that encourages the enhancement of cooperation and coherence between these two mechanisms of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),” said GCF Executive Director Howard Bamsey.

Commenting on the joint initiatives, CTCN Director Jukka Uosukainen added, “the GCF and the Climate Technology Centre cooperation opens a wide range of possibilities to foster integrated implementation of countries' climate commitments.”

The CTCN is the operational arm of the UNFCCC Technology Mechanism and is hosted and managed by UN Environment, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The CTCN utilises the expertise of these institutions, as well as a global network of more than 340 civil society, finance, private sector, and research institutions, to deliver tailored technical assistance and capacity building at the request of developing countries.

Additional information on CTCN and GCF Readiness activities

Ghana: The Climate Technology Centre is providing technology transfer and capacity building to relevant organisations in Ghana and government agencies for dry season management and planning. The support aims to enhance knowledge of spatially distributed drought issues; increase data accessibility of satellite information; and build capacity for drought forecasting and warning system management. This will enable national and local decision-makers, including farmers, to use the transferred knowledge, practices and technologies for dry season planning. Read more

Myanmar: The assistance of CTCN was requested to enable improved information gathering that is needed to develop climate-resilient solutions for key sectors in the country. The CTCN is helping Myanmar establish systems to capture reliable and timely data that will inform climate change assessments and drought and flood management. This will improve the country’s access to the latest available climate models, increase use of relevant technologies and enhance knowledge for climate-related studies. Once available, this data will be used to steer Myanmar’s planning and adaptation efforts within the water and agriculture sector. Read more

Tonga: The CTCN will assist Tonga in developing an energy efficiency plan for the country’s power, transport, infrastructure, tourism, education, fisheries and agriculture sectors. The CTCN will conduct data collection and a baseline/benchmarking study to measure Tonga’s energy use, energy costs, and greenhouse (GHG) emissions, including gender-focused baseline studies, for key sectors. Based on these findings, the CTCN will propose energy efficiency and GHG targets as well as cost-effective and gender responsive means of achieving these objectives. Initial training for Energy Department staff of Tonga and identification of a longer-term capacity building plan will also be delivered. Read more