Innovation, technology development and transfer

Innovation in climate mitigation technologies has seen enormous activity and significant progress in recent years. Innovation has also led to, and exacerbated, trade-offs in relation to sustainable development. (high confidence). Innovation, can leverage action to mitigate climate change by reinforcing other interventions. In conjunction with other enabling conditions innovation can support system transitions to limit warming and help shift development pathways. The currently widespread implementation of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) and LEDs, for instance, could not have happened without technological innovation (high confidence). Technological innovation can also bring about new and improved ways of0 delivering services that are essential to human well-being. At the same time as delivering benefits, innovation can result in trade-offs that undermine both progress on mitigation and progress towards other sustainable development goals. Trade-offs include negative externalities – for instance greater environmental pollution and social inequalities – rebound effects leading to lower net emission reductions or even increases in emissions, and increased dependency on foreign knowledge and providers (high confidence). Effective governance and policy has the potential to avoid and minimise such misalignments (medium evidence, high agreement).