Through UNEP DTU Partnership, DTU has created a new partnership with Green Technology Center - Korea to collaborate on the climate technology needs in developing countries.
DTU has entered in to a new partnership with the Korean Green Technology Center to create a framework of collaboration to address the climate technology needs of developing countries. This covers technology needs for both reducing greenhouse gas emissions and reducing the vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
The agreement that marks the beginning of a formal partnership between the Korean center and UNEP DTU Partnership, an integral part of DTU Management, was signed on Thursday the 13th of June at a ceremony in UN City in Copenhagen.
Building on the results and research in the global Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) project, implemented by UNEP DTU Partnership, this new partnership between the two research institutions will further enhance the understanding and action on technology needs for climate action in developing countries.
"We are starting with very specific areas, but we want to expand our collaboration in the future. This partnership will pave the way for both institutions to develop and expand on research that can create results in terms of implementation of climate technology," says President, Dr Byung-ki Cheong of the Green Technology Center - Korea.
A partnership built on experience
The new agreement aims to build on the work carried out by UNEP DTU Partnership on supporting developing countries through the global TNA project. Through this programme more than 80 developing countries have been assisted in determining their own demands and barriers for climate technology, and has moved closer to financing of their projects. The new partnership also expands on previous joint work through the UNFCCC Climate Technology Centre and Network between UNEP DTU Partnership and the Green Technology Center.
Since DTU, along with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UN Environment, in 1990 established UNEP DTU Partnership, it has been working on the transfer of climate technologies to address climate change. In 2009 it became implementing agency of the then newly started TNA project.
In cooperation with the Partnership, Green Technology Center is already working on improving the TNA project by adding a climate technology classification system mapping technology needs from developing countries.
"UNEP DTU Partnership and Green Technology Center have a lot in common in our work with supporting developing countries with their climate technology transitions. Creating this new formal partnership is a natural evolution, which I believe will continue even stronger in the years ahead of us"
John Christensen, Director, UNEP DTU Partnership
Director of UNEP DTU Partnership, John Christensen, sees a lot of similarities between the two research institutions and points to the new partnerships potential for adding knowledge on the much needed transfer of green technology.
"UNEP DTU Partnership and Green Technology Center have a lot in common in our work with supporting developing countries with their climate technology transitions. Creating this new formal partnership is a natural evolution, which I believe will continue even stronger in the years ahead of us," he says.
Two research institutions join forces
Green Technology Center is a government research institution under the coordination of South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT. It works to promote green climate technologies that cope with climate change through research and development of both policy, mitigation and adaptation platforms, and international cooperation.
With this partnership, UNEP DTU partnership joins forces with a strong partner in climate technology research. The Green Technology Center has a large number of Technical Assistance projects through the UN's Climate Technology Centre & Network, and represents Korea at the UN climate change negotiations.
Dr Dong Un Park, Director of Green Technology Center also points to the centre work on the TNA project:
"There are many commonalities between our two institutions, the size, approach and goals are all very similar. The most important area of cooperation is building on the TNA's, where we have developed a very helpful classification system for climate technology."
He adds that both UNEP DTU Partnership and the Green Technology Center also share a main goal of doing result oriented research.
"We are very keen on continuing studying the data of the TNA project to further facilitate the technology transfer to developing countries and create real outcomes."
For common goals
DTU, through UNEP DTU Partnership, and the Green Technology Center has not only worked successfully together in the past, but share common goals for protection and support of our environment as well as the international climate goals set forth in the Paris Agreement in 2015.
With the aim of consolidating, developing and intensifying the collaboration to further these common goals, the agreement will cover the following preliminary themes:
- Development of a climate technology classification system based on information from the Global Technology Needs Assessments Project
- Development of a tool for the evaluation of climate technology needs from developing countries, building on Technology Needs Assessment methodology
- Collaboration towards implementation of actual projects in developing countries
- Perform other climate technology related work
This list is not exhaustive and the agreement is open to any other form of cooperation between UNEP DTU Partnership and Green Technology Center on issues of common interest.