What is TT:CLEAR?

TT:CLEAR is a web-based technology information clearinghouse developed by the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, with support from Parties and the EGTT. It enables users to find information on:

• Technology transfer projects and programmes
• Case studies of successful technology transfer
• Environmentally sound technologies and know-how
• Organizations and experts
• Methods, models and tools to assess mitigation and adaptation options and strategies
• Relevant Internet sites for technology transfer
• Ongoing work of the Parties and the EGTT such as issues under negotiation, documents and meetings, and implementation of the technology framework.

Target audiences

• Government specialists and technology transfer practitioners
• Donors and trade associations to business and industry
• Public interest groups
• Intergovernmental organizations.

Possible use

TT:CLEAR could provide an accounting framework for technology transfer activities under the Convention. More specifically, it could:

• Reduce the costs of assimilating information on project technology activities
• Allow efficient access to financial and technical resource information on technology transfer
• Contribute to improved donor coordination and better planning and implementation of sustainable development projects, especially in developing countries
• Provide information for preparing project proposals
• Support the secretariat in preparing synthesis reports of information provided by Parties included in Annex I to the Convention on ongoing technology transfer activities.

Main characteristics

TT:CLEAR includes an innovative search engine which enables users to access distributed sources of information such as UNFCCC, Global Environmental Facility, International Energy Agency, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, as well as from some national web sites, performs conversions between different classifications used by these sources, and presents consolidated results.

TT:CLEAR may be used to access information on ongoing technology cooperation projects by country, sector of activity or technology type; to browse technical characteristics, economic performance and environmental parameters of different technologies; to locate possible partners or experts to provide support; and to perform side-by-side comparisons of different technologies stored in the database.

Parties may update the information in the project database remotely; technology transfer projects can be added, deleted or updated directly by users with authorized passwords.

A web-based technology forum is included to facilitate the exchange of views and experiences on the development and transfer of technologies.

How to access the system

TT:CLEAR is accessible from the UNFCCC home page (http://unfccc.int) or directly at http://ttclear.unfccc.int.

Products

• TT:CLEAR web site
• Distribution of information on CD-ROM to Parties unable to access the Internet and/or interested to set-up their own TT:CLEAR
• User’s guide