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November 2007

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Subject:
From:
Brian Ellis <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Environmental Issues <[log in to unmask]>, Brian Ellis <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 1 Nov 2007 11:48:13 +0200
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I've submitted the following review to 3 journals in our industry:

Book review

Title: Technology Transfer for the Ozone Layer – Lessons for Climate Change
Authors/editors: Stephen O. Andersen, K. Madhava Sarma and Kristen N. 
Taddonio
Publishers: Earthscan, London, www.earthscan.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-84407-473-0
Pages: 418 + xxvii; chapters 14 + 7 appendices; figures 23 ; tables 15 ; 
hardback.

As far as I am aware, this book is unique. On the front cover, there is 
a quotation from Nobel Prize laureate, Mario Molina, “This book is the 
story of why we can all be optimistic about the future if we are willing 
to be brave and dedicated world citizens." Professor Molina discovered 
the relationship between CFCs and the ozone layer.  In fact, the 
subtitle says it all; it recounts how the experience gained in handling 
ozone-depletion can be applied to mitigating the effects of climate change.

How does this work? The Montreal Protocol has undoubtedly been the most 
successful of all international measures concerning the environment. The 
achievement has been won through the five stages of technology transfer, 
assessment, agreement, implementation, evaluation and adjustment, and 
replication. The adoption of clean technology involved the attitude to 
environmental and economic risks, the social pressures of community, 
market and regulations, and behavioural control of technological and 
organisational capabilities. Similar thinking can be applied to other 
problems, notably climate change.

The first five chapters describe the mechanisms of technology transfer, 
the background of ozone and climate agreements and how the technology 
was changed in developed countries. From chapter 6 onwards, there is a 
detailed account of how the technology was transferred in each of the 
major sectors using ozone-depleting substances: foams, refrigeration, 
air-conditioning, aerosol products, fire protection, solvents, and pest 
control. Chapter 12 describes the barriers to technology transfer faced 
by developing countries and this is followed by a chapter on awareness 
and capacity building. All these chapters are illustrated by detailed 
case studies of practical examples from the Montreal Protocol mechanisms.

Chapter 14 is the all-important one giving 12 lessons on how the 
information gained in the phase-out of ozone-depleting substances may be 
applied to reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases within the 
framework of the Kyoto Protocol and other legislation. The first lesson 
is entitled “Act now", and how important this is! Of course, this is 
what Professor Molina implies by being willing to be brave and dedicated 
world citizens. We know that many nations are falling behind in their 
commitments to the Kyoto Protocol and it will require courage for these 
and other countries to make the dent that is necessary in the quantities 
of greenhouse gases that are emitted.

A number of appendices provide additional background information 
including some project completion reports.

Of course, this Journal is associated with the electronics industry; a 
large part of chapter 10, on the technology transfer to phase out ODSs 
in solvents, describes various aspects of our role in this. There are 
many pages recounting the alternatives to ozone-depleting solvents in 
the electronics industry (plus several more for other industries) and 
there are more pages describing the technology choices made in 
developing countries with some examples, both successful and less so. 
Some emphasis is made on the difficulties that small and medium 
enterprises encountered in both developed and developing countries. 
Overall, the electronics industry solvents sector provides a good 
picture leading to the lessons that can be learnt in technology transfer 
to combat the problems that will be encountered in reducing emissions of 
greenhouse gases, without touching on energy consumption by our products.

Is this book worth the read? Personally, I would reply to this question 
with an unqualified yes, simply because it gives a fresh look at the 
problems involved in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, by transferring 
technology from developed to developing countries. It is well written 
and easy to read. The authors and other contributors are all well-known 
experts in their respective fields, making the work very authoritative.

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