Digitalization to Achieve Technology Innovation in Climate Technology Transfer

Abstract

Technology Innovation has the potential to play a strategic role in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of national efforts to address climate change. The United Nations (UN) Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is mandated to support developing countries’ climate change responses through innovative technologies to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement. In order to enhance the role of the CTCN as an innovation matchmaker, it is important to explore and leverage the implementation potential of new digital technologies and their transformational impact. Thus, in this research, to engage digitalization as an innovative tool with the environment, we first explored digitalization during the climate technology transfer processes by comprehensively reviewing CTCN Technical Assistance (Digitalization Technical Assistance, D-TA) activities in three climate sectors of risk prediction, policy decision making, and resource optimization. Then, by applying analytical methodologies of in-depth interviews with major digital-climate stakeholders and a staged model for technology innovation, we propose future strategies for enhancing the role of CTCN as an innovation matchmaker in the three digitalization cases of digital collection, digital analysis, and digital diffusion.

New Strategy for Innovative RD&D in View of Stakeholder Interaction during Climate Technology Transfer

“…The technical assistance aimed to improve the EWS of the northern part of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic through (1) reviewing the current conditions of early warning on natural disasters and (2) analyzing innovative methods, e.g., smartphones and mobile applications etc., introducing digital technology for providing information to cover wider regions of the community. Furthermore, the EWS is expandable to larger scale demonstration to raise private financing for new markets by combining with innovative digital technology applications such as (1) artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing for more accurate analysis of hydro-meteorological risks and (2) development of early warning mobile application with 5G network and other IoT sensing [20].…”