Technology needs assessment for climate change adaptation: Experiences of Mauritius and Seychelles

Besides access to climate finance and capacity building, developing countries, comprised mainly of least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS) have negotiated for increased technology transfer to support their climate change adaptation. The Global Environment Facility has been supporting LDCs and SIDS to develop technology needs assessments (TNAs) to leverage international climate finance, and 62 countries have conducted a TNA to date. Ten SIDS are currently completing their TNAs, and 9 more will start the process in 2021. The focus of this paper is on in-country processes that have not received much attention to date. We find that an efficient TNA process is characterized by the adoption of an inclusive multi-stakeholder process, using existing institutional structures to increase ownership, and applying a learning-by-doing approach. An effective TNA process supports the formulation of national climate change policies and strategies and importantly enables the country to leverage international climate finance. For the latter, an effective TNA should address more closely the investment criteria of the Green Climate Fund. The lessons learned are shared to better inform forthcoming TNA processes in SIDS.