2020 was a year of great achievements for the Global Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) project. Despite the pandemic circumstances, countries involved in the TNA process made great progress, and the year was marked by a number of online events and publication launches that generated great interest from policy-makers, academia, businesses and NGOs worldwide.
In 2020, 22 countries completed their Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) reports. Through national expert and stakeholder consultations and with support from TNA Regional Centres, countries short-listed 3 to 4 climate technologies per sector for climate change adaptation purposes and greenhouse gas emissions reduction.
As a country-driven process, TNAs build upon and contribute to national sustainable development and, not least, the implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This was clearly showcased in the beginning of 2020, with Suriname using the results of their first TNA report for the development of their NDC.
“The TNA process delves in more detail as to the specific technological applications and technologies that could be employed using further MCA analysis. The prioritised technologies would fast-track facilitate decision making at the policy and practical levels, and implementation at the ground level,” says Kishan Kumarsingh, National TNA Coordinator for Trinidad and Tobago during an interview.
2020: A rich year in terms of online events and publications
In 2020, the TNA project reinforced its digital presence with the organization of 6 webinars. The series of webinars “Climate technologies and Technology Needs Assessments”, launched together with 3 "TNA Regional Technology Briefs", generated great interest from governments, academia, businesses and NGOs worldwide, with more than 1300 participants.
2020 constituted a rich year in terms of TNA publications. The guidebook "Finance Guide for Implementation of Technology Action Plans" was launched, focusing on how to develop a business case for interventions that are inclusive of climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies, and to present this information in structured proposals to donors and financiers.
And to end the year, the TNA team and the Green Technology Centre- Korea (GTC – K) published the fruit of their long collaboration, a report focusing on the development of a taxonomy for adaptation technologies in the TNA context.
In October 2020, 17 countries started on their TNA process under the fourth round of the global TNA project. This fourth round supports Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in carrying out new or improved Technology Needs Assessments, from 2020 to 2023.
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