Innovation is key to making the most of sustainability. We will need to develop creative solutions to meet the challenges we face. Innovations in sustainability both lowers costs and increases revenues.
We have seen how innovations in renewable energy have radically increased efficiency while driving down costs. Such innovations are evident in thin film photovoltaics and giant solar concentrators. Other solar innovations include solar paint, solar windows and solar curtains. Wind energy and electric vehicle technology has also been improved by a number of innovations.
As revealed in an Ethical Corp Survey sustainable innovation is among the top three priorities for business executives in 2015. The survey further indicated that they perceive an even greater role for sustainable innovation in the future. A total of 30 percent of respondents said that sustainable innovation is the most exciting opportunity for organizations over the next five years.
Ban Ki-moon expressed his faith in innovative solutions when he said, “We have begun to appreciate more fully how the world’s dazzling know how can solve the seemingly unsolvable when we view our problems through the right perspective.
The challenges we face are huge and we must be innovative if we are to meet them.
“What we need to do over the next 10 to 20 years is redesign our relationship with nature and energy,” said Nicholar Parkere, chairman of the Cleantech Group, a green research organization. However, if we are to stave off the worst impacts of climate change we must act quickly.
If we are to succeed we will require the combination of both free enterprise and government support.
“There are staggering things that technology can do, but we need to make this happen in as short a time as possible.” says Jack Newman of Amyris Biotechnologies. “There may be nothing like free enterprise to unleash innovation, but there’s nothing like government to put a whip hand to the process.”
To capitalize on opportunities in innovation companies need a long-term, collaborative and open approach.
