The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) is the operational arm of the UNFCCC’s Technology Mechanism. The CTCN promotes environmentally sound technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. It is hosted and managed by UNEP in collaboration with UNIDO and a consortium of 11 collaborators. It consists of the Climate Technology Centre (the above consortium), and an external Network of organisations with a range of expertise and geographical location to deliver the solutions to developing countries. There were 20 members of this Network as of October 2014.

One of the CTCN objectives is to support international R,D&D collaboration. At recent UNFCCC meetings, the International Energy Agency suggested that IEAGHG is a good example of such an R,D&D collaboration that already exists and that CTCN could support developing countries to be involved in IEAGHG.

Therefore, in order to facilitate such collaboration and participation by developing countries, IEAGHG applied to become a member of the Network of CTCN. I am very pleased to say that IEAGHG met the criteria for membership and has been notified that it is formally accepted as a member.

This means that developing countries, and actors in those countries, can apply to CTCN for support to participate in the R,D&D collaborative activities provided by IEAGHG. These activities include the technical research programme, IEAGHG Summer Schools, GHGT and PCCC conferences, Research Network meetings, workshops, and even support to implement in-country activities that are related to IEAGHG outputs.

Any request for such support has to come from the developing country to the CTCN via the country’s own ‘National Designated Entity’ (NDE). If organisations were to consider applying to the CTCN for such support, please let us know.

We hope that this new membership of the CTCN will encourage further access to the international R,D&D collaborative activities organised and provided by IEAGHG, to the benefit of developing countries, and that the breadth and depth of technology coverage by the CTCN will be enhanced.

For more information, including how to apply for support, see the CTCN website http://www.unep.org/climatechange/ctcn/Home/ .