Dr. Md Mahatab Uddin’s Climate Change Law, Technology Transfer and Sustainable Development is a pioneering academic paper that successfully analyzes legal areas that may be relevant to innovation and transfer of environmentally friendly technologies.
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You may have thought that climate change was in the future, but in reality we are already experiencing it.
Climate change is already having a major impact on the planet. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2021 was one of the seven hottest years on record. Additionally, the WMO has argued that 2022 will likely be the fifth or sixth hottest year on record.
Moreover, we must recognize that the impacts of climate change go beyond rising temperatures. It refers, among others, to rising sea levels and changes in weather patterns such as droughts and floods. The impacts of climate change could be seen in areas we care about and depend on: water, energy, mobility, ecology, agriculture and public health.
There is no denying that technology transfer is a key component of legal and policy responses to climate change. Technology transfer requires significant investment in new infrastructure and machinery. The 2015 Paris Agreement and the 2021 Glasgow Climate Agreement call for technical cooperation between developed and developing countries to combat climate change.
At the international level, few academic publications have effectively dealt with the relationship between climate change challenges, technological progress and sustainable development. In this regard, Dr Md Mahatab Uddin’s Climate Change Law, Technology Transfer and Sustainable Development (Routledge UK, 2021) successfully analyzed legal areas that may be relevant to innovation and transfer of environmentally friendly technology. A pioneering academic paper.
This book provides a thorough analysis of the contribution that international climate change law has to the development of new green technologies, their transfer and the promotion of sustainable development. A comparative study of technology mechanisms created under the current global climate regime and similar provisions introduced by previous multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) is also included in the book.
From the perspective of promoting sustainable development (by transferring environmentally friendly technologies from developed to developing It analyzes how the principles are applied within the post-Paris international legal system.
Apart from “Introduction”, the book has five other chapters. In Chapter 2, ‘Sustainable Development and the Global Climate Regime’, the authors show a clear relationship between the transfer of environmentally sound technologies and their impact on promoting sustainable development.
In addition, Chapter 3, “Technology Transfer under the Global Climate Regime,” discusses the three fundamental mechanisms adopted by international law on climate change. These mechanisms are allocated directly or indirectly to support the innovation and transfer of environmentally sound technologies.
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These mechanisms include indirect financial or flexible mechanisms, technical mechanisms, and financial mechanisms introduced under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In Chapter 3, the authors also share their views on the scope and potential of private sector involvement in developing and disseminating environmentally friendly technologies.
Additionally, the authors provide a thorough account of the function of international trade-related regulations (such as intellectual property law and international investment law) in promoting innovation and transfer of technology.
In the preface, eminent environmental scientist and strategist Professor Salimul Huk writes: Promote innovation and transfer of environmentally sound technologies and promote sustainable development, in particular by facilitating private sector investment engagement in environmentally sound technologies. ”
What intrigued me about this book is how it emphasizes the need to transfer environmentally friendly technologies to the least developed countries (LDCs). Note that the authors pay particular attention to Bangladesh because of the inclusion of a chapter on the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies in Bangladesh.
He conducted a research study on Bangladesh and argued that “the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies through Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects and programs in Bangladesh will have a positive impact on the sustainable development of the region.” . The findings of his research study on Bangladesh may influence future similar policies in similarly situated countries.
The book will undoubtedly be of interest to academics, national and international policy makers, especially those involved in environmental law, climate change, technology transfer, intellectual property law, and sustainable development.
This is Mahatab Uddin’s first book on this subject. Still, he has made a name for himself as a leading scholar and commentator in several fields, including international environmental law, climate change law, intellectual property law, technology transfer, and sustainable development. This work shows that his reputation is well-deserved.
Fahad Bin Siddique is a Research Fellow at Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST).
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Business Standard.