News facts
Copenhagen, Denmark – 9 April 2025 — The Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) has announced the appointment of Stephen Minas of Greece as the new Chair of its Advisory Board, succeeding Fred Onduri of Uganda. Joining him in leadership is Christian Lohberger of Papua New Guinea (PNG), who has been elected Vice-Chair. The appointments concluded the 25th Advisory Board meeting, held this week in Copenhagen.
Lohberger, who has represented the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) constituency on the Advisory Board since 2022, becomes the first SIDS member to serve as Vice-Chair. He has been part of Papua New Guinea’s climate negotiations team since 2019 and is deeply engaged in both the public and private sectors.
Born and raised in Port Moresby, Lohberger holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Tasmania and a Master’s in Engineering from RMIT University. He currently serves as President of the Solar Energy Association of PNG and is a policy adviser within the energy division of PNG’s Climate Change and Development Authority.
With decades of hands-on experience delivering energy transition solutions to rural and off-grid communities across the Pacific, Lohberger brings a practical perspective to the CTCN’s core mission of facilitating technology transfer in developing countries.
“Technology shapes the modern world,” Lohberger said. “The CTCN and our partners are employing this transformative force to drive global progress and innovation in climate solutions. I look forward to supporting CTCN’s vital mission of transferring impactful climate technologies directly to the communities that need them most.”
Newly appointed Chair Stephen Minas also emphasized the importance of international cooperation in climate technology.
“This is a pivotal time for climate innovation, and CTCN has a vital role to play,” said Minas. “Harnessing its unique Network, CTCN will build on its proven track record to strengthen partnerships that unlock the climate solutions the world needs."
The Advisory Board meeting opened with a joint session between the CTCN and the Technology Executive Committee (TEC), highlighting progress under their Joint Programme of Work. Discussions covered advancements in the Green Technology Database, the #AI4ClimateAction initiative, Monitoring and Evaluation strategies, and the Gender and Climate Technology Expert Roster.
A strong call emerged for enhanced support to National Designated Entities (NDEs) and more effective implementation of Technology Needs Assessment (TNA) outcomes, which are recognized as critical for increasing the visibility and effectiveness of the CTCN’s work.
In the subsequent Advisory Board discussions, members reviewed progress on the 2023–2025 Programme of Work, resource mobilization, communications and outreach, gender mainstreaming, and performance tracking. The Board also formally endorsed the CTCN’s financial statement for 2024.
Advisory Board members and CTCN partners widely welcomed Minas and Lohberger's appointments, acknowledging the new leadership’s experience and commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and climate resilience in developing nations.
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The 25th Advisory Board meeting video recording and presentations will be made available here.
The CTCN Secretariat operates within its terms of reference and is accountable to, and under the guidance of, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) through an Advisory Board.
The Advisory Board of the CTCN determines its operational modalities and rules of procedure based on the functions outlined in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 123. The Constitution of the Advisory Board was agreed upon at COP 18 and amended at COP 26.
[1] The meeting took place on April 4-9, 2025, and convened members from Annex 1 and Non-Annex 1, UNFCCC bodies representatives, UNFCCC non-governmental constituencies, COP30 incoming Presidency as well as key stakeholders, NDEs, and observers.