Multi-stakeholder partnerships for transfer of environmentally soundtechnologies

Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships can overcome many of the problems which exist with the transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs) from developed to developing countries, but as yet they have not been explored in detail in the negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Technology transfer is an important part of the UNFCCC, but the mechanism for achieving this is problematic. Developed countries prefer a market approach whereas developing countries tend to negotiate for direct grants. Multi-stakeholder partnerships offer a pathway through which technology is transferred and developing country capacity enhanced, while the interests of developed country private enterprise innovators are also protected. We present opinions and a case-study on multi-stakeholder partnerships and discuss some of the advantages that multi-stakeholder partners canoffer.

Research Highlights
► Multi-stakeholder partnerships offer potential for transfer of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries.
► MSPs can protect developed country industry intellectual property rights.
► The Philips EST light bulb plant in Lesotho is an example of a successful energy MSP.