The Technology Cooperation Agreement Pilot Project PDF Download

This fact sheet describes the Technology Cooperation Agreement Pilot Project (TCAPP) established by U.S. Government agencies USAID, EPA, and DOE and programs USCSP and USIJI in August 1997. TCAPP is currently facilitating voluntary partnerships between the governments of Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, Mexico, and the Philippines, the U.S. and other OECD countries, international donors, and the private sector, on a common set of actions that will advance implementation of clean energy technologies. The five participating countries have been actively engaged in shaping this initiative along with international donors and the private sector. This program helps fulfill the U.S. obligation to support technology transfer to developing countries under Article 4.5 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. TCAPP also provides a mechanism to focus resources across international donor programs on technology cooperation needs of developing and transition countries. The goals of TCAPP are to: (1) Foster private investment in energy technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and produce economic benefits for the country; (2) Engage in-country and international donor support for actions to build sustainable markets for clean energy technologies; and (3) Establish technology cooperation agreements as an organizing structure for coupling in-country, donor, and private-sector climate change mitigation actions. TCAPP's approach fosters a coordinated response by OECD countries, international donor organizations, and the international business community to the climate change technology cooperation needs of developing and transition countries through two basic steps. First, interagency teams in developing and transition countries establish frameworks that define their technology cooperation needs and the actions their government is ready to undertake in cooperation with donors and the private sector. Second, international donors and businesses support implementation of actions by the countries for reducing market barriers and directly facilitating private investment.