Deploying Low‐carbon Technologies in Developing Countries: A view from India's buildings sector

Abstract

The climate change arena comprises a diverse set of interacting actors from international, national and local levels. The multilevel architecture has implications for low-carbon technology deployment in developing countries, an issue salient to both development and climate objectives. The paper examines this theme through two inter-related questions: how do (or don't) low-carbon technologies get deployed in India's built environment, and what implications can be drawn from the Indian case for effective low-carbon technology development and transfer for developing countries? By examining the multilevel linkages in India's buildings sector, the paper shows how the interactions between governance levels can both support and hinder technology deployment, ultimately leading to inadequate outcomes. The potential of these linkages is hobbled by aspects of the national context (federated energy governance and developing-country capacity limitations), yet can also be enabled by other features (the climate policy context, which may motivate international actors to fill domestic capacity lacunae). Reflecting on the India case, the paper makes recommendations for improved low-carbon technology deployment in developing countries: (1) technology development and transfer collaboration on a 'need-driven' approach, (2) development of the specific types of capacity required across the entire innovation chain and (3) domestic strengthening of the coordination and agendas across and between governance levels.to one that is largely based on bottom-up country-by-country pronouncements, as formalized in the 2015 Paris Agreement (UNFCCC, 2015a). The climate change arena is now widely populated by activities that are often outside the formal auspices of UNFCCC, including initiatives that are public, private and civil society based, operating at various scales and thereby involving different levels of governance (van Asselt and Zelli, 2014). What are the implications of working within such a fragmented climate regime, which involves a diverse set of actors from international, national and local levels? In particular, what are the opportunities and challenges this architecture poses for a low-carbon technology transition in developing countries, in keeping with international climate objectives?The UNFCCC has long recognized the importance of low-carbon technology development and transfer for developing countries to assist in their growth, whilst fulfilling global climate objectives (UNFCCC, 2015b). The paper examines this theme by asking two inter-related questions: how do (or don't) low-carbon technologies get transferred and deployed in India's built environment, and what implications can be drawn from the Indian case for effective low-carbon technology development and transfer for developing countries?Multilevel climate governance provides an analytical framework to help answer these questions. The framework lays out at least two different dimensions of action and influencethe vertical and horizontalwhere varied actors interact between ...

The Effects of External Relations Network on Low-Carbon Technology Innovation: Based on the Study of Knowledge Absorptive Capacity

“…There are few literatures on studying the impact of LTI to REN, as well as KAC for this development, especially in recent years [4][5][6][7]. Many of these studies have analyzed explicit knowledge [4,7] and utilization of knowledge [5][6][7] as factors to consider in the relationship between LTI and REN.…”

“…Many of these studies have analyzed explicit knowledge [4,7] and utilization of knowledge [5][6][7] as factors to consider in the relationship between LTI and REN. Although research on the REN has become more important, enterprises have not developed mechanisms for it [7].…”

“…The external relations network (ERN) of enterprises plays an important role in supporting and promoting low-carbon technology innovations (LTI) [3], at the same time, knowledge absorptive capacity (KAC) has a causal relationship with LTI [4]. In reality, the LTI not only need good ERN, but also need strong learning ability, such as KAC [5].…”

“…Among so many influencing factors, enterprises' ERN status play a decisive role in the innovation of low-carbon technology [7], for examples, the government's environmental policy can encourage enterprises to carry out innovation activities [5], market means motivate enterprises to carry out sustainable LTI, what's more, LTI efficiency is improved by effective cooperation among partners or intermediaries [4]. Besides, innovation is inseparable from the support of knowledge, and there is an intangible knowledge market in the heterogeneous organization formed by enterprises, cooperative organizations, research institutes and intermediaries [6], meanwhile, in the process of LTI, KAC is the prerequisite for effective conversion knowledge and an important determinant for improving the efficiency of low-carbon technology innovation.…”

“…Literature review points out that LTI and ERN has received little attention from the academics and practitioners [4,5]. Although a number of factors as predictors of the technology innovation have been studied, the development of theoretical frameworks to interpret research findings has been limited.…”