Technical and Financial Assistance

Abstract

Technical and financial assistance plays an important role in the furtherance of environmental protection. Since the end of the 1980s, important changes have modified its contours, aims, and legal structure. The emergence of new principles, such as the principle of sustainable development and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, have introduced new facets to this notion, and the implementation of these principles has resulted in a complex mosaic of financial mechanisms and funding sources, which are linked to global conventions, multilateral institutions, bilateral aid, and private sector investment. This article first provides a picture of the different types and sources of technical and financial assistance, such as official development assistance, international institutions, and public/private partnerships. It also addresses the relationship between technology transfer and intellectual property rights, especially in light of agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity. The article then examines the aim and nature of financial and technical assistance, the legal structure of financial mechanisms (including its relationship with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities), and the provision of global public goods.