Call for papers: Technology Transfer within the post-Kyoto Protocol Policy Framework

Call for papers: Technology Transfer within the post-Kyoto Protocol Policy Framework

A special issue of International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation

As the Kyoto Protocol is edging toward its expiry in 2012, the academic and policymaking communities are already contemplating a replacement policy framework (or policy design architecture) to address unresolved problems and future challenges.

This special issue offers a platform for debates and discussions, while the process of searching for solutions to many questions relating to environmental changes and technology transfer is still in progress, questions such as:

• How do we encourage developing countries, which are also the major contributors to global greenhouse gas emission, to participate in environmental protection?
• What is the best way of fostering international collaborations in environment protection? How should research, development, demonstration and deployment (RDD&D) be promoted?
• Should policies of direct payment or subsidies be adopted to encourage countries to cut down greenhouse gas emission?
• What technologies should be transferred?
• How effective is the transfer of these technologies in assisting poorer countries and communities to cope with likely adverse outcome brought about by climate change, such as increases in sea-level?
• How do we protect the intellectual property and copyright arising from the international movements of technologies and information?

In the current Kyoto Protocol, the Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation focus primarily on achieving emission reduction in a cost-effective manner. The transfer of clean technology to the developing nations is not strongly encouraged within this policy framework. This approach has drawn much criticism. Technology transfer, being an important discourse, should not be confined to interaction between the developed and developing countries. More policy studies on enhancing RDD&D within developed nations and accelerating the overall adoption of clean technologies are imperative.

The perspective of having sustainable development as the central theme for the post-Kyoto Protocol policy framework, under which climate change strategies are planned and executed, could be debated. How will this affect technology transfer strategies? What role should the non-governmental organizations play? More discussions on these subjects should be included.

This Special Issue aims to bring together these issues relating to climate change, sustainable development, the post-Kyoto Protocol era, stakeholder engagement and technology transfer to the table for a focused and timely discussion. We also hope to invite leading researchers, engineers and scientists from around the world to share their research works and findings.

Topics of interest for submission include, but are not limited to:

• Intellectual property and copyright issues surrounding the transfer of clean technology
• Technology transfer within the existing or future Clean Development Mechanism and Joint Implementation
• Collaborations between NGOs and other stakeholders in technology transfer
• Case studies on RDD&D collaboration on clean technology - within and between countries (highlighting the lessons that are applicable to designing post-Kyoto policy framework)
• Clean technologies and/or typology of clean technologies that can be transferred
• Challenges posed by the nature of the technology on the process of transfer
• Sustainable development, climate change and technology

Important Date
Paper submission not later than: 31 January 2009