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The conceptual and practical challenges to technology categorisation in the preparation of technology needs assessments

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  • Ivan Nygaard
  • Ulrich Hansen

Abstract

The strong focus in climate negotiations on the transfer and diffusion of technologies as a means to mitigate and adapt to climate change has entailed various programs to promote the transfer and diffusion of climate technologies, including the Technology Needs Assessment project (TNA). Despite the technology focus in the project, practice shows that the questions of what a technology is and how the key concepts of technology transfer and diffusion should be understood and operationalized remain diffuse. This paper explores the reasons for this by analysing the experience of the TNA project in using a framework for categorizing technologies according to the types of markets and non-markets in which they are diffused. While the framework has contributed to a higher degree of ‘market literacy’ among national stakeholders, four challenges in categorizing technologies have been identified: i) technologies comprising varying degrees of software, orgware and hardware; ii) technologies appearing as whole systems of production; iii) technologies covering different application markets; and iv) technologies situated on a continuum between research, development and diffusion. These challenges are proxies for the challenges in formulating plans of actions for technologies. If, due to a lack of conceptual clarity, it is not clear to countries whether the diffusion of a specific technology should be implemented by a project or by means of an enabling framework, the measures proposed in the action plans may be misleading. We therefore call for an increased focus on clarifying the technology concept in the training for the next generation of TNAs. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Ivan Nygaard & Ulrich Hansen, 2015. "The conceptual and practical challenges to technology categorisation in the preparation of technology needs assessments," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 131(3), pages 371-385, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:climat:v:131:y:2015:i:3:p:371-385
    DOI: 10.1007/s10584-015-1367-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fábio T. F. Silva & Alexandre Szklo & Amanda Vinhoza & Ana Célia Nogueira & André F. P. Lucena & Antônio Marcos Mendonça & Camilla Marcolino & Felipe Nunes & Francielle M. Carvalho & Isabela Tagomori , 2022. "Inter-sectoral prioritization of climate technologies: insights from a Technology Needs Assessment for mitigation in Brazil," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 27(7), pages 1-39, October.
    2. James Haselip & Ulrich Hansen & Daniel Puig & Sara Trærup & Subash Dhar, 2015. "Governance, enabling frameworks and policies for the transfer and diffusion of low carbon and climate adaptation technologies in developing countries," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 131(3), pages 363-370, August.

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