Beyond technology transfer: Innovation cooperation to advance sustainable development in developing countries

Abstract

While technology continues to be seen as a key element in the move to sustainable development, international efforts around technology to support sustainable development transitions in developing countries have failed to yield results congruent with the needs. This review paper aims to contribute to, and help change, the conversation on international technology transfer (ITT) such that it leads to more productive international cooperative efforts for sustainable development in developing nations. We examine ITT in the health, agriculture, and climate and energy areas, juxtaposing it with relevant literature. Supporting domestic and international actors and processes, we highlight what are key elements for success in these areas of action to more effectively implement the SDGs in energy and environment in developing countries. Finally, we suggest that “innovation cooperation” is a better framing than “technology transfer” for advancing international efforts on technology for sustainable development. Such a framing allows for a broader and more comprehensive perspective on technology‐related cooperation between countries. It also emphasizes the need for equitable partnerships rather than donor–recipient relationships and for development of local innovation capabilities, leading to more effective marshaling of technologies to help developing countries achieve sustainable development. This article is categorized under: Energy Policy and Planning > Economics and Policy Energy and Climate > Systems and Infrastructure Energy Research & Innovation > Climate and Environment

Does technological innovation matter in the nexus between supply chain resilience and performance of manufacturing firms in a developing economy?

“…It goes to reason that the mere presence of SCTI in manufacturing firms is not enough for SCR to improve SCP. This outcome is not surprising because developing countries face technological innovation challenges, and are seen to be less innovative (Dong et al ., 2022; Medase and Wyrwich, 2022; Pandey et al ., 2022). This is dependent on factors such as developing countries' resource deficiency and detrimental business environment relative to their counterparts in developed nations (Medase and Wyrwich, 2022).…”

Inter-sectoral prioritization of climate technologies: insights from a Technology Needs Assessment for mitigation in Brazil

“…The criteria weighting results are dependent on the space-temporal context in which the process is undertaken, as it relies on the current perception of individuals who participate in the survey (Ernst and van Riemsdijk 2013 ). Hence, even though it is essential that TNA studies are conducted through a participatory process (Hofman and van der Gaast 2019 ; Pandey et al 2022 ), some caution must be taken to affirm that such a process actually represents society’s preferences. Having participatory approaches is challenging in a complex country with a high level of inequalities such as Brazil (Cornwall and Shankland 2013 ).…”

“…In that regard, international technology transfer mechanisms are useful for fostering climate technology innovation in developing countries (Sagar 2009;de Coninck and Puig 2015). Yet, the success of such cooperation mechanisms requires a tailored process which considers the specificities of the technology as well as the national circumstances (Sagar 2009;Pandey et al 2022). Hence, many authors argue for the need for bottom-up countrydriven approaches in climate technology cooperation processes, led by the demands of the recipient country (Liu and Liang 2011;Boldt et al 2012;Boyd 2012;de Coninck and Puig 2015;Ockwell and Byrne 2016;Puig et al 2018;Prasad and Sud 2021).…”

Adapting Innovation Development Management Processes to Improve Energy Efficiency and Achieve Decarbonization Goals

“…1. Основные направления исследований по решению проблем декарбонизации Направление Литература Возможности достижения конкурентных преимуществ за счет внедрения экологически чистых технологий (Kuhn et al, 2022;Lenox, 2021;Wang et al, 2022) Исследования связи между производством и потреблением энергии, с одной стороны, и эмиссией углеродных соединений -с другой (Dalla Longa et al, 2022;Natali et al, 2021;Pandey et al, 2022) Повышение энергетической эффективности как ключевое направление декарбонизации национальных экономик (Mier et al, 2020;Obrist et al, 2022; Пахомова и др., 2021) Оценка корреляции между инвестициями в возобновляемые источники энергии и эмиссией СO2 (Acheampong et al, 2019;Ikram et al, 2020;Mehmood et al, 2022) Влияние государственного стимулирования процессов декарбонизации на показатели экономического развития (Al Mamun et al, 2022;Rissman et al, 2020;Stephenson et al, 2021) Управление деятельностью компаний в условиях введения «углеродного налога» (Dixit et al, 2022;Domon et al, 2022;Reaños et al, 2022) Рикошетный эффект (rebound effect) энергоэффективности (Chen et al, 2021;Baležentis et al, 2021;Berner et al, 2022) Источник: составлено авторами.…”