Technological cooperation within the United Nations Convention on Climate Change

During the climate negotiations held in Cancún at the end of 2010, the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreed to foster their cooperation in the area of technologies designed to mitigate and respond to climate change (the reduction of greenhouse gases and adaptation to climate change) and decided to set up the Technology Mechanism. This is composed of a policy unit - the Technology Executive Committee (TEC), and an implementing unit - the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN).

The Technology Executive Committee (TEC) began its activities in September 2011. The recommendations made by the TEC are to be fed into the decision-making processes for the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Further information is available at: unfccc.int.

The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) forms the basis for closer co-operation on technologies designed to mitigate climate change and seeks to improve networking opportunities. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has been selected to act as the host organisation for the network. The CTCN is based in Copenhagen and commenced its activities in May 2013. Further information is available at: www.unep.org.

The National Designated Entity - NDE

The National Designated Entity (NDE) is part of the Technology Mechanism set up in the context of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and is to support the work of the CTCN at national level.

There are currently 149 NDEs around the world (status: June 2016), which represent more than 90 per cent of the world's population. In developing countries and emerging economies, the task of NDEs is to draft and compile enquiries on cooperation and forward these to the international network.

The NDE in Germany serves as the first point of contact for all enquiries from the CTCN and other national designated entities about German climate-related technologies, programmes run by the Federal Government, services or potential cooperation projects on research in the context of the Technology Mechanism, for all enquiries about potential technology cooperation projects with German companies, research institutions and public entities, and for all enquiries from German companies and investors.

Climate-related technologies include technologies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, analyse the impact of climate change or adapt to climate change.

Where appropriate, information about envisaged research projects and technologies from Germany is passed on to the CTCN, and enquires from the CTCN and from developing countries and emerging economies are compiled and sent on accordingly.

On 20 June 2016, responsibility for running the Coordinating Office of the German NDE passed to HEAT GmbH, and its duties will be undertaken in close cooperation with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The headquarters of the Coordinating Office are located in Königsstein.

Email: NDE-Germany@bmwi.bund.de