South-South and Triangular Cooperation on Climate Technologies Regional Perspectives

The report details two workshops held in 2018 focused on South-South and triangular cooperation for climate action. It highlights case studies of technological exchange in agriculture, water management, and urban resilience, while identifying systemic barriers such as funding gaps and a lack of institutional capacity at the subnational level.

• South-South and triangular cooperation are identified as critical complementary mechanisms to North-South cooperation, specifically for providing resources and skills that help developing countries implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
• In the Asia-Pacific region, successful cooperation has been demonstrated through the ASEAN regional network on forest and climate change (ARKN-FCC), which focuses on policy, methodology, capacity building, and communications to strengthen negotiation positions within the UNFCCC.
• Triangular cooperation in the Pacific has enabled the delivery of specific climate-resilient infrastructure, such as the Te Mato Vai water reticulation project in the Cook Islands (partnership between New Zealand, China, and the Cook Islands) and a one-megawatt photovoltaic plant in the Solomon Islands (partnership between New Zealand and the UAE).
• Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face specific challenges in energy development, including a lack of economies of scale and heavy reliance on aid, leading to the creation of specialized entities like the Pacific Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (PCREEE) and the Caribbean Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE).
• The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is criticized for operating more like a "bank" than a fund, prioritizing "bankable" projects and fiduciary capacities over the urgent adaptation needs of the most vulnerable communities.
• In Latin America and the Caribbean, cooperation efforts include the Latin American Network on Greenhouse Gas Inventories (RedINGEI), which provides capacity building for 12 member states, and the use of satellite-derived data and drones for Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in the Caribbean.
• Subnational and urban cooperation in Latin America is hindered by a significant lack of institutional and technical capacity at the local level, where most cities lack dedicated International Relations Departments to manage cooperation projects.
• Effective South-South cooperation requires a shift from "supply-driven" to "demand-driven" models, where the needs of the recipient country lead the project design to ensure local ownership and sustainability.

APA

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (2018). South-South and Triangular Cooperation on Climate Technologies Regional Perspectives. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/2018%20SouthSouth%20and%20Triangular%20Climate%20Technologies.pdf

Chicago

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research. South-South and Triangular Cooperation on Climate Technologies Regional Perspectives. 2018. https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/2018%20SouthSouth%20and%20Triangular%20Climate%20Technologies.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research |title=South-South and Triangular Cooperation on Climate Technologies Regional Perspectives |date=December 2018 |url=https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/2018%20SouthSouth%20and%20Triangular%20Climate%20Technologies.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{interamericaninstituteforglobalchangeresearch2018southsouth, author = {{Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}}, title = {{South-South and Triangular Cooperation on Climate Technologies Regional Perspectives}}, institution = {Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research}, year = {2018}, month = dec, url = {https://archive.iai.int/admin/site/sites/default/files/2018%20SouthSouth%20and%20Triangular%20Climate%20Technologies.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }