The negotiations in Paris at COP21 have now gone into week two. The general feeling is a cautious optimism despite the complexity of the negotiations. New for this COP is the major involvement of business along with other non-state actors, demanding the creation of policy environments that facilitate and incentivize deep decarbonisation and a robust climate deal.
One of the biggest coalitions is We Mean Business where over 500 of the world’s largest organisations, including DNV GL, are committed to taking action on climate change. Not only are these companies taking action because climate change is one of the greatest risks we face, tackling it is also one of our biggest economic opportunities.
A core part of the negotiations and the negotiating text is the recognition of the development and transfer of technology supporting an emission pathway consistent with the 2 degree target and considerably improving the adaptation capacity. DNV GL has a leadership role in two major initiatives during COP21: The Low Carbon Technology Partnerships Initiative (LCTPi) and the Centre for Climate Technology and Networks (CTCN).
The Low Carbon Technology Partnerships Initiative (LCTPi)
A major contribution of the business community to COP21 is the concrete ambitions and commitments developed by the Low Carbon Technology Partnerships Initiative (LCTPi). The LCTPi is a collaborative platform that brings together the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), Action2020 Business Solutions, Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Deep Decarbonisation Pathways and the International Energy Association (IEA) Technology Roadmaps. The ambitions of the LCTPi are to:
- Accelerate the diffusion of existing technologies by removing technological, market and social barriers and introducing required policy and financial instruments
- Develop Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) on the Research, Development, Demonstration and Deployment (RDD&D) of potentially game changing new technologies
DNV GL has led the work of the LCTPi working group on scaling up renewable energy. “Fifteen companies have committed to an action plan that will support the deployment of 1.5 TW of additional renewable energy capacity by 2025,” says David Walker, CEO of DNV GL Energy. “No matter what the result of COP21 is, there is commitment to ensure that the LCTPi action plans are taken forward in 2016”. DNV GL also created a partnership with the LCTPI in developing countries in relation to its work as strategic partner of the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN).
The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN)
Stakeholder Forum: a Private Sector Engagement Initiative
The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is mandated by UNFCCC to facilitate technology transfer to developing countries. By channelling information and technical assistance, it bridges the gap between identified needs and solution providers, fosters collaboration among climate technology stakeholders, and enables vulnerable countries to take action to address climate change. DNV GL is a strategic partner of the CTCN and is working on knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation and most importantly, private sector engagement. A central piece of the work of DNV GL is the creation of an engagement platform, the CTCN Stakeholder Forum, to be launched at an event with David Walker on the 9th of December at COP 21 Business Hub.