The challenge of environmental technology: promoting radical innovation in conditions of lock-in. FINAL REPORT TO THE GARNAUT CLIMATE CHANGE REVIEW

نویسنده

  • Keith Smith
چکیده

How can we sustain global economic performance while reducing and perhaps eliminating climate impacts? This dual objective ultimately requires the innovation of radically new low-or zero-emitting energy technologies. But what is involved in such innovation, and why and how should governments support it? What are the implications for innovation policymakers? The paper discusses the nature of the innovation challenge of climate change, develops a framework for analysing modes of innovation, applies the framework to energy technologies and analyses policies for energy innovation. The overall argument is that we are 'locked in' to an unsustainable but large-scale hydrocarbon energy system. Despite widespread innovation efforts and incentives, these are not yet addressing the innovation challenge on an adequate scale. Addressing these issues will involve new mission-oriented programs, coordinated by new or modified transnational agencies. The analytical framework sees technologies not as single techniques but as multi-faceted technological 'regimes'. Regimes involve production organisations and methods, scientific and engineering knowledge organisation, infrastructures, and social patterns of technology use. We live not with individual energy technologies but with a complex hydrocarbon regime. Against this background we can identify three modes of innovation, with very different characteristics. They are • Incremental innovations-upgrades to existing technologies, producing innovation within existing technological regimes, such as increases in the capabilities and speeds of microprocessors. • Disruptive innovations-new methods of performing existing technical functions, changing how things are done, but not changing the overall regime, such as the shift from film to digital imaging. • Radical innovations-technological regime shifts, involving wholly new technical functions, new knowledge bases, and new organisational forms, such as the transition from steam power systems to electricity. We need environmental innovations on all three of these dimensions of innovation, but we have innovation programs and policy instruments for only the first two. There are no large integrated programs seeking regime-shifting innovation of the final type. Current policies instruments for environmental change have four basic forms-carbon taxes or emissions constraints, subsidy and procurement measures, regulatory instruments and R&D and commercialisation programs. The first set of measures is likely to promote incremental innovation only. The second and third would also support the emergence of new technological functions. Each is very important, and will frame a context in which further change can happen. But none will in themselves lead to fundamental innovation in the hydrocarbon regime. Regime-shifting innovation typically involves long-term and highly risky innovation programmes along multiple search …

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تاریخ انتشار 2008