Technology Transfer – Critical Issue

1.Statement comes in wake of World Bank report highlighting opportunity for developing countries to shift to lower carbon paths while promoting development and reducing poverty
2.Technology transfer a central theme in climate change negotiations
3.Hopes for solid outcomes from UN Climate Change discussions and the World Future Energy Summit

Binu Parthan, Deputy Director General of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, a speaker at the upcoming World Future Energy Summit, has highlighted technology transfer as a key issue critical to advancing the sustainable energy.

The statement comes in the wake of the recent World Development Report 2010: Development and Climate Change in which the World Bank suggests that developing countries can shift to lower-carbon paths while promoting development and reducing poverty.  However, the report also states that this depends on high-income countries providing financial and technical assistance.

Parthan said, “Technology transfer is a critical issue to advancing sustainable energy.  More importantly, a large share of developing countries lack adequate national technology innovation and technology absorption capacity.  Technology transfer without national or regional capacity will not result in advancing sustainable energy.”

He said, “There is also the question of financing technology transfer. With the UN Climate Change discussions and the World Future Energy Summit approaching we hope to have some solid outcomes on these issues.”

World Future Energy Summit organisers recently released the four-day conference programme for the third edition of the World Future Energy Summit.  Six plenary forums will address the most urgent questions on world energy policy and achieving a viable future for the renewable energy industry.

Key topics on the agenda will include discussions of the key outcomes and implications of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December.

Break-out sessions during the forum will investigate the specific policies and investments necessary to deliver on the world’s climate change obligations in greater depth.

Commenting on the likely focus of the debate in Copenhagen and at WFES 2010, Richard Jones of the International Energy Agency said: “To meet growing global energy demand, we need to make sure that we have adequate and sustainable energy supplies. We will need all sources, but our big challenge will be minimising the environmental impact from their production and use. Development and deployment of low carbon technologies will be central to this effort.”

About WFES:
The World Future Energy Summit is held annually in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, under the patronage of H.H. General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. The Summit is hosted by Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multi-faceted future energy initiative, and is organised by Reed Exhibitions, the world’s largest events organiser, together with Elsevier, the leading publishers of science information.

Together, the Summit and the concurrent World Future Energy and World Future Environment Exhibitions form one of the world’s must-attend events in future energy and an outstanding networking and business opportunity for the energy and environment communities.

WFES 2009 attracted more than 600 exhibitors, 144 official delegations, more than 18,000 visitors from 84 countries, and 1,124 conference delegates. The third edition of WFES will be held in Abu Dhabi from January 18-21, 2010.

Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors is the principal sponsor of WFES 2010. Emirates Aluminium is Associate Sponsor, and Platinum Sponsors include BP Alternative Energy, Standard Chartered, Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, Oxy and the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipality Affairs.

For more information on the programme or to register, visit www.worldfutureenergysummit.com