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Chen, Zhou --- "Climate Change: Legal Impediments to Technology Transfer" [2012] ELECD 276; in Martin, Paul; Zhiping, Li; Tianbao, Qin; Du Plessis, Anel; Le Bouthillier, Yves; Williams, Angela (eds), "Environmental Governance and Sustainability" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2012)

Book Title: Environmental Governance and Sustainability

Editor(s): Martin, Paul; Zhiping, Li; Tianbao, Qin; Du Plessis, Anel; Le Bouthillier, Yves; Williams, Angela

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781781000472

Section: Chapter 13

Section Title: Climate Change: Legal Impediments to Technology Transfer

Author(s): Chen, Zhou

Number of pages: 22

Extract:

13. Climate change: legal impediments to
technology transfer
Zhou Chen

13.1 INTRODUCTION

Global warming is an unequivocal threat to humankind happening at a more
rapid pace than many expected.1 To a large extent, the state of the climate today
is a result of technology choices we made yesterday; similarly, the situation of
climate in the 21st century will be largely determined by the technology we
choose now. This technological change is particularly important over the long-
term time scales that are characteristic of climate change.2 The rapid and wide-
spread transfer of the relevant technologies, namely those technologies used to
mitigate and adapt to climate change, encompasses an inclusive set of processes
in which climate-related equipment, knowledge and experience pass through
several basic stages (from supply and interim path to demand among different
stakeholders).3 In addition to the operation of the technology market in the
country-based context, there is also a broader performance conducted at the
international level. As a positive measure of addressing global climate change,
technology transfer has both economic and environmental benefits. It is
expected, for example, to improve efficiency in energy use, introduce less
carbon-intensive sources of energy, develop renewable energy sources and
further achieve a transition to a low-carbon economy.4 From the legal perspec-
tive of global environmental responsibilities, the transfer of technology has
been acknowledged to be a fresh avenue for international cooperation in rela-
tion to the `common concerns of humankind',5 especially where ...