UNEP and UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, with financing from the Global Environment Facility, are implementing a fourth phase of Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs).

While decision-makers, both in the private and public sector, often have a good understanding of costs and potentials of options for climate change mitigation, especially when implemented as a stand-alone project or small-scale programme, the consequences of large-scale implementation of options, in longer time frames, in different social contexts, are often less clear. For example, costs of a technology when implemented as a technology project may be mainly related to investment and operational costs.

Between 2010 and 2018, UN Environment and UNEP DTU, with financing from the Global Environment Facility, completed two phases of Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs) in more than 60 countries.