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Climate Technology

Climate Technology

Enhancing technology development, transfer, deployment, and dissemination is a key pillar of the international response to climate change. As a result, and to support the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. Parties to the UNFCCC are engaged in the elaboration of the technology framework to further promote and facilitate enhanced action on technology development and transfer, where the work on Technology Needs Assessments will play a key role in the implementation of environmentally sound technologies for mitigation and adaptation. 

In 2010, the COP established the Technology Mechanism with the objective of accelerating and enhancing climate technology development and transfer. It consists of two complementary bodies that work together, – the Technology Executive Committee (TEC) and the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN). The mechanism will also serve the Paris Agreement.
Technology Mechanism
Technology Mechanism
The TEC is the Technology Mechanism’s policy arm and analyses policy issues and provides recommendations to support countries in enhancing climate technology efforts. The TEC is an executive committee consisting of 20 technology experts representing both developing and developed countries. The TEC meets multiple times a year and holds climate technology events that support efforts to address key technology policy issues.
Technology Executive Committee
Technology Executive Committee
The CTCN is the mechanism’s implementation arm and it supports countries to enhance the implementation of climate technology projects and programmes. It has three core services: providing technical assistance to developing countries; creating access to knowledge on climate technologies; and fostering collaboration among climate technology stakeholders. The Centre facilitates a network of national, regional, sectoral and international technology centres, networks, organizations and private sector entities. Countries have submitted their national designated entities (NDEs) for climate technology and transfer, which are also part of the network. Lesotho Submitted the Department of Science and Technology as the NDE and submit requests for technical assistance to the CTCN.
The Climate Technology Centre and Network
The Climate Technology Centre and Network
Article 10, paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement established the Technology Framework. The framework provide overarching guidance to the work of the Technology Mechanism in promoting and facilitating enhanced action on technology development and transfer in order to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement, in pursuit of the long-term vision on technology development and transfer referred to in Article 10, paragraph 1. Understanding our climate technology needs is the starting point for effective action on climate change. By understanding these needs we can determine how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change. To determine their climate technology priorities, countries undertake technology needs assessments (TNAs).
Technology Framework
Technology Framework

The Climate Technology Needs Assessments referenced in the Paris agreement, requests:

  1. The undertaking and updating of climate technology needs assessments, as well as the enhanced implementation of their results, particularly technology action plans and project ideas, through the preparation of bankable projects.
  2. The provision of enhanced financial and technical support for the implementation of the results of the climate technology needs assessments.

Lesotho undertook the development of its first Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) in 2004 to identify, select and prioritise technologies that were needed. The TNA was prepared for Energy and Land Use and Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) as they were found to be the major emitting sectors from the First National Communications. 

In 2022, Lesotho started developing her second Technology Needs Assessment (TNA-Adaptation and TNA-Mitigation). The TNA preparation process that includes Barrier Analysis Enabling Framework (BAEF), Technology Action Plan (TAP) and development of a concept note is expected to be finalised in June 2024. 

The TNA identified and prioritized through country-driven participatory processes, technologies that can contribute to mitigation and adaptation goals of Lesotho, while meeting national sustainable development goals and priorities and to identify barriers hindering the acquisition, deployment, and diffusion of prioritized technologies; and to develop Technology Action Plans (TAP) specifying activities and enabling frameworks to overcome the barriers and facilitate the transfer, adoption, and diffusion of selected technologies in Lesotho.

The 4th GHG inventory identified Energy and Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) as the major emitting sectors. Hence, technologies for these two sectors were developed under Mitigation. On the other hand, two most vulnerable sectors in Lesotho, namely Water and Agriculture were considered for Adaptation. See Barrier Analysis Enabling Framework (BAEF) Technology Action Plan (TAP)

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The GEF Trust Fund constitutes the most popular source of climate finance in Lesotho, having funded over 42 projects, including both national and global/regional initiatives. In terms of focus, GEF funded projects have been geared broadly towards tackling the drivers of environmental degradation. As such, the major focal areas of the fund disbursement in Lesotho have been biodiversity; land degradation; climate change policies, strategies and plans; organic pollution and water – all of which are more or less in line with the fund’s priority globally. Direct climate financing from Global Environment Fund (GEF) is accessible through the Department of Environment, which is a GEF focal point in the Ministry of Defence, National Security and Environment. (Home | GEF)

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The Green Climate Fund has the potential to help countries like Lesotho meet their adaptation and mitigation finance needs. Currently, there is one cross-cutting GCF-funded project in Lesotho, among other three recipient countries – South Africa, Eswatini and Namibia. 

The project is geared towards addressing critical market barriers in accelerating private sector climate investments. Lesotho has also accessed five (5) projects under the GCFs Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme. The process for accessing funding under the GCF begin from an assessment of the needs of Lesotho and includes extensive stakeholder engagement. The fund is accessed through the National Designated Authority (NDA) and the Accredited Entity (AE) (Lesotho | Green Climate Fund).

 
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Like the Adaptation Fund, the Climate Investment Funds constitutes a climate funding stream that many African countries are not able to access. CIF is an enabler of pioneering climate-smart planning and climate action in low and middle-income economies, many of which are the least prepared yet the most prone to the challenges of climate change. CIF responds to the worldwide climate crisis with large-scale, low-cost, and long-term financial solutions to support countries achieve their climate objectives. In Lesotho, there is only a single project with finance from the fund. The project, entitled “Lesotho Renewable Energy and Energy Access Project”, is geared towards funding renewable energy investments. The fund is accessed through the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning in Lesotho. (The Climate Investment Funds (CIF)).

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The Special Climate Change Fund is also being governed by GEF and Lesotho has not accessed funds as the fund is dry majority of the time. Lesotho as an LDC competes with other developing countries to access the funds. (Special Climate Change Fund – SCCF | GEF)

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The LDCF, which is governed by GEF, is a vital source of climate funds in the context of Lesotho. It constitutes the most significant finance stream in Lesotho, having funded national projects to the tune of over US$ 36 million as of 2022. Indeed, it is second in significance to the GEF Trust Fund only in terms of the number of nationally funded projects (8 national projects compared to 15 for GEF). Regarding sectoral distribution and focus of LDCF, the data suggests that LDCF resources are geared towards water resources management, enhancing the resilience of agricultural production and food systems, and climate information services and capacity building. (Least Developed Countries Fund – LDCF | GEF)

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The Adaptation Fund is one of the least accessed climate funds and Lesotho just accessed funds (count of US$ 10 million) through Word Food Programme as the accredited entity. The project, entitled “Improving adaptive capacity of vulnerable and food-insecure populations in Lesotho”, is being implemented and pertains to agriculture and food security. It is accessed through LMS and Accredited Entity (AF | Adaptation Fund)

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