SPOTLIGHT—Green innovation and the impacts of economic shocks

The economic shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s large-scale aggression against Ukraine are likely to reshape the science-policy interface with significant implications for netzero goals, green growth, and sustainable development. The recent experience from the government-supported acceleration for the development and deployment of vaccines and the renewed priority given to energy security have provided an impetus to mission-oriented innovation approaches to address environmental challenges. In addition, the pandemic has severely affected some vital actors of innovation ecosystems, such as start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are also more exposed to the consequences of high energy prices.

The 2022 Green Growth and Sustainable Development (GGSD) Forum on Green innovation and the impact of economic shocks (22-23 November 2022) explored the consequences of these shocks for science, technology, and innovation policies. Focus themes included: mission-oriented innovation approaches to accelerate green innovation, lowcarbon hydrogen, bio-economy, green innovation in SMEs, and international cooperation in science and technology.

Reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of the event, many OECD Committees, bodies and initiatives participate in and contribute work to the 2022 GGSD Forum, including: Committee on Industry, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE), the Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy (CSTP), the Committee on SMEs and entrepreneurship (CSMEE), the Environmental Policy Committee (EPOC), and the Working Party No. 1 on Macroeconomic and Structural Policy Analysis. The Forum also drew on work of the International Energy Agency (IEA), as well as perspectives of Business at the OECD (BIAC) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC).

Website: www.oecd.org/greengrowth/ggsd2022