Technology
All countries agree on the urgent need to decouple emissions growth from economic growth – in other words, to create a low-carbon economy. In practice, this means we need to accelerate the research, development and deployment of clean technologies.
Governments have an important role to play in this regard. But governments alone can’t tackle this problem. Most inventions come from individuals or companies. The private sector has the right skills, infrastructure and experience and will be the main source of innovation. Governments can encourage this innovation with strong investment frameworks to harness the power of markets and stimulate research, development and deployment.
The United Nations climate change talks in Cancun in December 2010, established a Technology Mechanism to accelerate technology development and transfer in support of countries’ action on adaptation and mitigation.
The Mechanism will be guided by countries’ most urgent needs, priorities and national circumstances. It consists of two component bodies: the Technology Executive Committee (TEC); and the Climate Technology Centre and Networks (CTCN). The TEC, a panel of experts tasked with providing advice to the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC on global technology needs and trends, will hold its first meeting once the panel is elected. The CTCN will provide direct in-country advice and support to facilitate prompt action on the deployment of technologies based on identified needs, including through a network of national, regional and international technology centres, networks and organisations. Work will continue during 2011 to elaborate the terms of reference for the CTCN, with a view to making the CTCN operational in 2012.
While developed countries have a responsibility to support developing countries to acquire clean technologies, it is important to recognise that new technologies come from all over the world. China, for example, is a world leader in wind power. Australian companies also have a long tradition of innovation, for example in developing solar power.
Australia is actively involved in a range of initiatives on technology and policy to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, including the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum, the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, the Methane to Markets Partnership, the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, the Major Economies Forum Technology Action Plans, Climate REDI, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the Asia Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, and the Global Carbon Capture and Storage Institute.
The Global CCS Institute is an Australian initiative established in September 2008 and formally launched by the Prime Minister following the Major Economies Forum Leaders' Summit in Italy in July 2009. The Global CCS Institute will help deliver the G8’s goal of developing at least 20 fully integrated industrial-scale CCS projects around the world by 2020. It is an example of how Australia is actively promoting international technology cooperation as a means of driving the development and diffusion of critical clean energy technologies.