New types of innovation for a low-carbon society policy briefing
Published
July 2007
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New types of innovation for a low-carbon society 117 KB
Description
In response to the challenge of climate change, the UK needs to make a transition to a low-carbon economy.
This will require increased levels of innovation - in new technologies, but also new services, new forms of organisation and in the delivery of public services. But policies in the UK are currently only harnessing a narrow band of this possible innovation
Efforts to reduce carbon emissions could benefit from disruptive forms of innovation - cheaper, easier-to-use alternatives to existing products or services which are often developed by non-traditional players, and which target previously ignored customers.
However, currently the UK is not set up to encourage these innovations and the entrepreneurs that drive them - in fact, they are frequently thwarted. With an innovation policy that allows them to flourish, a new breed of green innovator could make a vital contribution to the UK’s strategy for carbon reduction.