Elizabeth Burleson, a visiting professor at the University of Oregon School of Law, has been spending the week at the Cancun climate change negotiations. She submitted this report, which also was shared with the environmental lawprofs listserv. Alan Miller has had to cancel his trip to Cancun.
COP 16 Innovation and Diffusion Update (6pm on Friday December 3) by Elizabeth Burleson
Slow negotiations are creeping forward regarding a new Climate Technology Mechanism, Technology Secretariat, Technology Fund, and a Technology Clearinghouse. I have spoken with World Bank, German, Japanese, G77+China, and a range of other state party, inter-governmental, and non-governmental delegates on efforts underway to removing bracketed language from the negotiating text. The emerging picture is one of retaining good will by postponing controversy. It remains to be seen to what degree technology transfer commitments will emerge as confidence building measures. Finance and technology transfer have been split, leaving many concerned about the means by which innovation and diffusion of environmentally sound technology may come about. Little discussion of the TRIPS / UNFCCC nexus has occurred here or elsewhere. On the bright side, genuinely environmentally sound technology transfer remains an area where mitigation and adaptation can be advanced together.
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