International collaboration can be leveraged to accelerate the innovation and diffusion of low carbon technologies required to realize the shift to a low carbon trajectory. A collaborative approach to innovation has the potential to capture several benefits, including: pooling risks and achieving scale; knowledge sharing that accommodates competition and cooperation; the creation of a global market; facilitation of policy learning and exchange; and the alignment of technology, finance and policy.
A range of obstacles to the diffusion of low carbon technologies provides ample opportunity for international collaboration in global market creation and capacity building, expanding beyond conventional modes of technology transfer. Current collaborative efforts for carbon capture and storage, solar photovoltaic and concentrating solar power technologies are active in all stages of innovation and diffusion and involve a wide range of actors.
Yet, current efforts are not sufficient to achieve the necessary level of emission mitigation at the pace required to avoid catastrophic levels of atmospheric destabilization. This analysis sets forth recommendation to scale up current endeavors and create new ones.