1st Edition
Innovation Pathways to Sustainability Conversations Towards Complex Systems of Governance
The book offers insights into reconciling innovation with sustainability and identifying key stakeholders responsible for the reconciliation. Through conversations with experts in various fields, the intersection of innovation, sustainability, governance and complex systems in a rapidly changing climate-driven world is discussed.
Countries around the world face the urgent existential challenge to tackle climate change and CO2 emissions. In its discussions of case studies of key economic sectors in Australia, this book focuses on the emerging experience with harnessing innovation to sustainability. The interdisciplinary approach to the complexity of climate change and policy making provides readers an opportunity for thoughtful discussions and lessons to be learnt from multiple angles.
This is a vital resource for scholars in climate studies, innovation and sustainability that also confronts important challenges facing policymakers, government and society.
CONTENTS
The Interviewees
Foreword
Preface
List of Acronyms
1 Introduction: Exploring the Opportunities and Challenges Of Innovation, Technology, Climate Change and Sustainability
Section I Understanding Innovation and Sustainability
2 The Things That Matter: Understanding and Communicating the Process and Impact of Innovation
INTERVIEW WITH MARK DODGSON
3 The Delayed Growth Impact of Disruptive Digital Technologies: Measuring and Accounting for the ‘Productivity Paradox’
INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN FOX
4 Entrepreneurs and Start-ups in the Digital Age: Profiles, Values and Paradigms
INTERVIEW WITH NICHOLAS GRUEN
5 National Innovation and Competitiveness in the United States: At a Strategic ‘Tipping Point’
INTERVIEW WITH DR. ROBERT ATKINSON
6 Innovation Policies in Australia: The Divisive Politics and Administration of Systemic Transformation
INTERVIEW WITH ROY GREEN
7 Efficient, Effective and Integrated Economy-Wide Climate Change Policy: Economics and Politicisation
INTERVIEW WITH ROSS GARNAUT
8 Climate Change Energy Transition: Modelling, Scenarios and the Political Economy of the ‘Tragedy of the Commons’
INTERVIEW WITH WARWICK MCKIBBIN
9 The Innovative ‘Circular Economy’ as a Sustainable Business Model: Design and Transformation Challenges
INTERVIEW WITH SAMI KARA
Section II Climate Change and Energy Resources
10 Renewable Energy Development: The Costs of Policy Uncertainty and Lack of Political Stability
INTERVIEW WITH GILES PARKINSON
11 The National Energy Guarantee (NEG): Frustrated Reductions in Electricity Emissions and Dirty Party Politics
INTERVIEW WITH CHRIS DUNSTAN
12 Electric Vehicles (EV): Infrastructure and Policy Barriers Lead to Laggardly Diffusion and Adoption
INTERVIEW WITH PETER KHOURY
13 Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency and Global Finance Industry Disruption: Dirty Little Energy Secret
INTERVIEW WITH SEAN FOLEY
14 Small Modular Nuclear Reactors (SMRs) Untried and Untested: Why All the Political Interest Now?
INTERVIEW WITH JIM GREEN
15 Hydrogen-Based Economy: Shipping Sunshine to the World
INTERVIEW WITH TONY WOOD
Section III Agriculture, Land and Water Resources
16 Agricultural Productivity Improvement: The Role of Digital Technologies
INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD HEATH
17 The Second Domestication of Dairy and Beef: Food 2.0 Proteins Without the Animals
INTERVIEW WITH LESLEY HUGHES
18 The Murray–Darling Basin Environmental Catastrophe: Federalism Politics and Best Available Science
INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD BEASLEY
19 Indigenous Agriculture and Sustainability Knowledge: The Great Australian Silence
INTERVIEW WITH BRUCE PASCOE
20 Regenerative Agriculture: Confronting Industrial Agriculture With Farmer-Led Sustainability Innovation
INTERVIEW WITH CHARLES MASSY
Section IV Governance Roles and Responsibilities
21 Silicon Valley Consensus: Self-fulfilling Technological Determinism
INTERVIEW WITH MICHAEL PIORE
22 The Business of Climate Change: Reimagining ‘Material Interests’ – And the Corporation
INTERVIEW WITH BOB CARR
23 Environment, Social and Governance (ESG): Harnessing Capital to Sustainability or Just ‘Woke’ and ‘Greenwashing’?
INTERVIEW WITH PRU BENNETT
24 Decarbonising and Transforming the Australian Economy: A Game-Changing Renewable Energy Opportunity
INTERVIEW WITH ROSS GARNAUT
25 Public Interest Journalism: Vanishing Pillar for a Sustainable Democracy?
INTERVIEW WITH ALLAN FELS
26 Public Confidence in Science: Building Trust on Understanding Scientific Method and Uncertainties
INTERVIEW WITH AARON MERTZ AND ABHILASH MISHRA
27 Systems-Based Governance: For a Complex Sustainable Future
INTERVIEW WITH RAY ISON
28 Political Reform and Public Engagement: Necessary Sustainable Path for Confronting Climate Change
INTERVIEW WITH BARRY JONES
29 Conclusion: Towards Complex Systems of Governance
Index
Biography
Michael Lester is an independent economist, writer and radio presenter. A former public-sector executive in Australia, he has worked and lived internationally. His experience spans science, technology, innovation, environment, resources, industry, trade and investment domains. He has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in engineering, public administration and economics.
Marie dela Rama, PhD (UTS), is an independent researcher. She participated as an accredited civil society observer in these multilateral meetings: G20 ACWG, OECD GACIF, UNCAC IRG, UN COSP9, UNGASS, UNODC ISM COSP UNGASS and UN SPT OPCAT. Her publications include The Changing Face of Corruption in the Asia Pacific (Elsevier) and Corporate Governance and Corruption (Journal of Business Ethics).
