- Email: [email protected]
Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer
Ecological Engineering 18 (2002) 521– 527
www.elsevier.com/locate/ecoleng
Book reviews Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer Edited by B. Metz, O.R. Davidson, J.W. Martens, S.N.M. van Rooijen and L.V.W. McGrory, Cambridge University Press, 2000, 466 pp. ISBN 0521-80082-X (Hardback), US$ 100.00; ISBN 0-521-80494-9 (paperback), US$ 35.95 The transfer of technological innovation from the research and development phase to implementation is vital for incorporating new technology into management systems. Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer was prepared by the IPCC Working Group III (jointly established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program) to expand innovation and enhance efforts to transfer environmentally sound technology to world governments and citizens for use in the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to potential climate change. The report addresses the technology transfer problem in the context of climate change with an emphasis on sustainable development and is directed to policymakers and citizens of the world. Though developed primarily for technology transfer related to climate change, the book provides a valuable reference for all professionals involved in transfer of new technologies. Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer covers a broad spectrum of the issues that must be dealt with if there is to be a successful transfer of technology from the research/discovery phase to a large-scale implementation of that technology. It emphasizes the multiple levels of collaboration that are required between governments, NGO’s and private entities to provide for the adoption of environmentally sound technology.
The main objective of the book is to provide a ‘blueprint’ for the movement of environmentally sound technology from research/development to application that can be used for attenuating climate change in developed countries, developing countries, and countries with economies in transition. The primary audiences for Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer are policy-makers from local to national level. The editors provide a useful summary for all who may affect technology transfer. The overview gives an excellent introduction to the issues, including: (1) the role of technology transfer in addressing climate change; (2) the meaning of technology transfer; (3) trends in technology transfer; and (4) the stakeholders, pathways, stages, and barriers involved in technology transfer. The main focus is on the need to increase the flow and improve the quality of technology transfer worldwide where innovation would provide beneficial results in regards to climate change and sustainable development. The authors have approached major issues by breaking down into sectors of use those that influence climate change. The sectors are broken down into chapters that treat: (1) buildings (residential and commercial); (2) transport; (3) industry; (4) energy supply; (5) agriculture; (6) forestry; (7) waste management; (8) human health; and (9) coastal adaptation. The central lessons brought out through the sectoral analysis are: (1) that networking among stakeholders is essential for effective technology transfer; and (2) that most effective technology transfers focus on products and techniques with multiple benefits. The Technical Summary provides a more detailed introduction to the issue of technology transfer. Here, the authors have provided a de-
0925-8574/02/$ - see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
522
Book re6iews
scription of the needs for the environmentally sound technologies for each of the sectors analyzed. The inclusion of bulleted problems and recommendations provides a general outline for issues that must be addressed before the successful transfer of new technologies can occur. A detailed look at the role of technology transfer in addressing climate change, the flow and quality of technology transfer, and the sectors analyzed is brought forward in the Technical Summary. For those who are interested in the general aspects of the issues covered in the book, the Technical Summary provides a good look at the problems faced. In Section I—‘Framework for Analysis: Technology Transfer to address Climate Change,’ the authors set the landscape for the discussion. Teams of international authors focus on major topics that include: (1) a framework for decision making; (2) financial resource flows; (3) international agreements and legal structures; (4) enabling environments for technology transfer; and (5) financing and partnerships. Each of these sections provides a detailed look into the complexity involved in transferring environmentally sound technologies for addressing climate change and provides potential solutions for achieving success of the transfer. Section II begins the analysis of the individual sectors that have been identified as affecting climate change. The introduction gives an overview of the sectoral analyses, criteria for determining effective technology transfer, and the outline used in the analysis of each section. The detailed analysis of individual sectors includes introductory discussions; a look at potential climate mitigation and adaptation technologies, the magnitude of current and future technology transfer and their limitations, technology transfer within a country, and technology transfer between countries; and a section on the lessons learned from those transfers. Overall, Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer is a beneficial addition to the literature that focuses on transfer of technologies associated with climate change. The detailed works of Sections I and II may be more than the
casual reader would be interested in; however, the Technical Summary would be valuable to any who are interested in the subject of climate change and development of environmentally sound technologies to alleviate the possible results of climate change. Each section of the book contains a superb reference list providing further resources on specific topics. I would recommend this book to policy-makers and ‘change agents’ who will be promoting adoption and implementation of environmentally sound technologies and to researchers and developers who focus on issues of climate change. William E. Fox Rangeland Ecology and Management, Texas A&M Uni6ersity, Texas Cooperati6e Extension, 2126 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 -2126, USA E-mail: [email protected] PII: S0925-8574(02)00002-2
The silver lining: the benefits of natural disasters Seth R. Reice, Princeton University Press, 2001, 218 pp. ISBN 0-691-05902-0; US$ 24.95 hardcover In this introductory look at disturbance ecology, Seth Reice incorporates his own research in stream ecology with well-known and publicized events (including the 1998 fires in Yellowstone National Park, the flooding of the Mississippi River in 1993, and Hurricane Fran of 1996) to illustrate the essential role of natural disturbances in ecosystems. The book is written in non-technical language and an easily accessible style, geared toward members of the general public with an interest in the principles and practices of ecology. In a narrative style reflecting a strong personal commitment to and belief in conservation, Reice offers an overview of the history, evolution, and
www.elsevier.com/locate/ecoleng
Book reviews Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer Edited by B. Metz, O.R. Davidson, J.W. Martens, S.N.M. van Rooijen and L.V.W. McGrory, Cambridge University Press, 2000, 466 pp. ISBN 0521-80082-X (Hardback), US$ 100.00; ISBN 0-521-80494-9 (paperback), US$ 35.95 The transfer of technological innovation from the research and development phase to implementation is vital for incorporating new technology into management systems. Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer was prepared by the IPCC Working Group III (jointly established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program) to expand innovation and enhance efforts to transfer environmentally sound technology to world governments and citizens for use in the limitation of greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to potential climate change. The report addresses the technology transfer problem in the context of climate change with an emphasis on sustainable development and is directed to policymakers and citizens of the world. Though developed primarily for technology transfer related to climate change, the book provides a valuable reference for all professionals involved in transfer of new technologies. Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer covers a broad spectrum of the issues that must be dealt with if there is to be a successful transfer of technology from the research/discovery phase to a large-scale implementation of that technology. It emphasizes the multiple levels of collaboration that are required between governments, NGO’s and private entities to provide for the adoption of environmentally sound technology.
The main objective of the book is to provide a ‘blueprint’ for the movement of environmentally sound technology from research/development to application that can be used for attenuating climate change in developed countries, developing countries, and countries with economies in transition. The primary audiences for Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer are policy-makers from local to national level. The editors provide a useful summary for all who may affect technology transfer. The overview gives an excellent introduction to the issues, including: (1) the role of technology transfer in addressing climate change; (2) the meaning of technology transfer; (3) trends in technology transfer; and (4) the stakeholders, pathways, stages, and barriers involved in technology transfer. The main focus is on the need to increase the flow and improve the quality of technology transfer worldwide where innovation would provide beneficial results in regards to climate change and sustainable development. The authors have approached major issues by breaking down into sectors of use those that influence climate change. The sectors are broken down into chapters that treat: (1) buildings (residential and commercial); (2) transport; (3) industry; (4) energy supply; (5) agriculture; (6) forestry; (7) waste management; (8) human health; and (9) coastal adaptation. The central lessons brought out through the sectoral analysis are: (1) that networking among stakeholders is essential for effective technology transfer; and (2) that most effective technology transfers focus on products and techniques with multiple benefits. The Technical Summary provides a more detailed introduction to the issue of technology transfer. Here, the authors have provided a de-
0925-8574/02/$ - see front matter © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
522
Book re6iews
scription of the needs for the environmentally sound technologies for each of the sectors analyzed. The inclusion of bulleted problems and recommendations provides a general outline for issues that must be addressed before the successful transfer of new technologies can occur. A detailed look at the role of technology transfer in addressing climate change, the flow and quality of technology transfer, and the sectors analyzed is brought forward in the Technical Summary. For those who are interested in the general aspects of the issues covered in the book, the Technical Summary provides a good look at the problems faced. In Section I—‘Framework for Analysis: Technology Transfer to address Climate Change,’ the authors set the landscape for the discussion. Teams of international authors focus on major topics that include: (1) a framework for decision making; (2) financial resource flows; (3) international agreements and legal structures; (4) enabling environments for technology transfer; and (5) financing and partnerships. Each of these sections provides a detailed look into the complexity involved in transferring environmentally sound technologies for addressing climate change and provides potential solutions for achieving success of the transfer. Section II begins the analysis of the individual sectors that have been identified as affecting climate change. The introduction gives an overview of the sectoral analyses, criteria for determining effective technology transfer, and the outline used in the analysis of each section. The detailed analysis of individual sectors includes introductory discussions; a look at potential climate mitigation and adaptation technologies, the magnitude of current and future technology transfer and their limitations, technology transfer within a country, and technology transfer between countries; and a section on the lessons learned from those transfers. Overall, Methodological and technological issues in technology transfer is a beneficial addition to the literature that focuses on transfer of technologies associated with climate change. The detailed works of Sections I and II may be more than the
casual reader would be interested in; however, the Technical Summary would be valuable to any who are interested in the subject of climate change and development of environmentally sound technologies to alleviate the possible results of climate change. Each section of the book contains a superb reference list providing further resources on specific topics. I would recommend this book to policy-makers and ‘change agents’ who will be promoting adoption and implementation of environmentally sound technologies and to researchers and developers who focus on issues of climate change. William E. Fox Rangeland Ecology and Management, Texas A&M Uni6ersity, Texas Cooperati6e Extension, 2126 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843 -2126, USA E-mail: [email protected] PII: S0925-8574(02)00002-2
The silver lining: the benefits of natural disasters Seth R. Reice, Princeton University Press, 2001, 218 pp. ISBN 0-691-05902-0; US$ 24.95 hardcover In this introductory look at disturbance ecology, Seth Reice incorporates his own research in stream ecology with well-known and publicized events (including the 1998 fires in Yellowstone National Park, the flooding of the Mississippi River in 1993, and Hurricane Fran of 1996) to illustrate the essential role of natural disturbances in ecosystems. The book is written in non-technical language and an easily accessible style, geared toward members of the general public with an interest in the principles and practices of ecology. In a narrative style reflecting a strong personal commitment to and belief in conservation, Reice offers an overview of the history, evolution, and