Technological capability and transfer for achieving South Africa's development goals

Rennkamp, Britta; Boyd, Anya

Technological capability and transfer for achieving South Africa's development goals

Journal Article

2013

Journal Title

Climate Policy

Link to Journal

http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tcpo20#

Publisher

Taylor and Francis

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Energy Research Centre

Faculty

Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment

Abstract

Technological capability and technology transfer both play important roles in achieving low-carbon development targets and the concepts of both have appeared in national development and climate policy debates. Yet, they differ. Improving capabilities and transfer mechanisms are two differing approaches to technological development. Technology transfer is associated with a key political dynamic within international climate policy, in that developing countries request support from industrialised countries. Whereas technological capability focuses on building internal capabilities and is often framed in the context of national industrial policy plans rather than relying on external support.We argue that technology development, a combination of these approaches, can contribute to South Africa’s low-carbon development through innovation and technology-based mitigation actions that increase domestic technological capabilities. Technological capability needs to become a determinant of mitigation action to effectively contribute to achieving South Africa’s low-carbon development goals. International technology transfer and cooperation should contribute to boosting domestic capabilities to advance technological development. Technology transfer based on pure sales will not contribute to achieving long-term low-carbon development goals. Policy relevance: The case of South Africa offers useful insights for policy makers in developing countries, as it is a country at the crossroads of future energy paths. It is important to engage in technology-based mitigation actions to ensure that technology transfer contributes to a country’s low-carbon development goals. Ensuring that technology transfer contributes to development through job creation and local production is a matter of political choice. Renewable energy technologies can contribute to reducing emissions, no matter where they are from and are built.