Mitigation Technology on Climate Change

Technology is a key factor in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions. Application of technology along with policies and measures that support conservation and energy efficiency are expected to reverse the trend of rising GHG emissions in the future.

There are many types of technology that can be categorized as a GHG mitigation technologies, including renewable power generation technologies such as geothermal, solar, wind, biomass, energy efficiency technologies as well as energy saving lamps (CFL / LED) and so forth. Mitigation technologies are not always expensive, even many of them actually result in savings for the duration of use. Energy efficiency technologies such as improved insulation in buildings and energy saving lamps, also with fuel-efficient vehicles has a negative cost emission reduction. That is, the initial investment cost is smaller than the cost savings of electricity or fuel. There is also the technology at a cost that is still quite expensive such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and biodiesel (above 60 euros per tonne of carbon dioxide avoided).

GHG mitigation technologies currently dominated by a handful of developed countries like the United States, European countries, Japan and Australia. Developed countries that have invested ranging from research and development phase, demonstration, commercialization and application of legal protection would expect the results of his work. Intellectual property rights (IPR) such as patents, copyrights and royalties make GHG mitigation technologies are expensive and often not affordable for most developing countries and countries with economies in transition. This has sparked debate in the international Climate Change negotiations, in which a group of developing countries and transition wants concessions in intellectual property rights so that prices can be suppressed technology. Instead the developed countries continue to protect its discoveries are also partly generated by the private sector so that government can not simply ask them to lower prices.

Indeed IPR is not a barrier technology that is essential, given the increasing number of technology suppliers to compete fairly so beneficial to consumers. Only, for developing countries like Indonesia, it is proper Indonesia can develop its own technology without constantly depending on outsiders. Several local companies are able to produce works of construction of large-scale geothermal power plant with a minimum content of imported technology.

To overcome the problem of technology gaps, has been established fora of international cooperation and promotion of technologies such as carbon sequestration Leadership Forum, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership, the Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate, and so forth.

Various proposals have been submitted by various parties in the international negotiations on Climate Change. In terms of intellectual property rights, a proposal regarding compulsory licensing, incentives for technology transfer, joint purchase of patents have been raised and still negotiated the Parties. Then also proposed "a new policy initiative" to be applied at international level which includes clustering technology based sectoral approach and the development of standards and efficiency technologies. In addition it is also hotly debated issue that is new financing mechanisms. There is a proposal to establish a Multilateral Fund (public funding) to purchase licenses to support the diffusion of technology and providing financial incentives to support technology transfer. There is also another proposal to establish a venture capital initiative of the private sector for the same purpose.

Similarly, the application of technology in general, GHG mitigation technologies also have the classic barriers such as limited information, financing, capacity to use particular technologies, regulatory support, policy mistakes and market distortions (such as for example subsidies of fossil fuels has resulted in renewable energy technologies into not competitive).

Sometimes, barriers to implementation of a technology is still expensive than the cost for new technology is specific to a particular area. Lack of skilled manpower, the capacity to perform maintenance and cultural differences, for example, can become a bottleneck for a particular technology.