Accelerating the Clean Energy Revolution
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Mission Innovation"
CRS INSIGHT Doubling Research and Development for Clean Energy: "Mission Innovation" December 1, 2015 (IN10403) | Related Author Jane A. Leggett | Jane A. Leggett, Specialist in Energy and Environmental Policy ([email protected], 7-9525) On November 30, leaders of 20 countries, including President Barack Obama, launched a new initiative, "Mission Innovation," to double to $20 billion over the next five years their public investment in research and development (R&D) in "clean energy" technologies. President Obama announced an intention to double U.S. R&D on clean energy as well, from a current level of about $5 billion annually. The leaders announced Mission Innovation at the conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). According to the White House, the 20 countries participating so far in Mission Innovation represent 80% of current investment in all clean energy R&D. The 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) of the UNFCCC is meeting in Paris, France, to negotiate by December 11, 2015, an agreement under the UNFCCC to address climate change that is expected to be legally binding. If an agreement is reached, it would take effect in 2020. The Mission Innovation announcement is related to, but not part of that expected UNFCCC agreement. Countries Participating in Mission Innovation as of November 30, 2015 Australia Denmark Italy Saudi Arabia Brazil France Japan Sweden Canada Germany Rep. of Korea United Arab Emirates Chile India Mexico United Kingdom China Indonesia Norway United States Source: White House, "Fact Sheet: Mission Innovation," November 30, 2015, https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press- office/2015/11/29/fact-sheet-mission-innovation. -
Intellectual Property, Innovation Policy, and Climate Justice
Article Beyond the Paris Agreement: Intellectual Property, Innovation Policy, and Climate Justice Matthew Rimmer Professor of Intellectual Property and Innovation, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Brisbane City QLD 4000, Australia; [email protected] Received: 11 December 2018; Accepted: 6 February 2019; Published: 18 February 2019 Abstract: The multidisciplinary field of climate law and justice needs to address the topic of intellectual property, climate finance, and technology transfer to ensure effective global action on climate change. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 1992 (UNFCCC) established a foundation for the development, application and diffusion of low-carbon technologies. Against this background, it is useful to analyse how the Paris Agreement 2015 deals with the subject of intellectual property, technology transfer, and climate change. While there was discussion of a number of options for intellectual property and climate change, the final Paris Agreement 2015 contains no text on intellectual property. There is text, though, on technology transfer. The Paris Agreement 2015 relies upon technology networks and alliances in order to promote the diffusion and dissemination of green technologies. In order to achieve technology transfer, there has been an effort to rely on a number of formal technology networks, alliances, and public–private partnerships— including the UNFCCC Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN); the World Intellectual Property Organization’s WIPO GREEN; Mission Innovation; the Breakthrough Energy Coalition; and the International Solar Alliance. There have been grand hopes and ambitions in respect of these collaborative and co-operative ventures. However, there have also been significant challenges in terms of funding, support, and operation. -
The Breakthrough Formation of BEV Brings Attention to Individual Investors, Accentuating Their Presence in Long-Term Unlisted Assets
ASIA PRIVATE EQUITY A MONTHLY REPORT ON DIRECT EQUITY INVESTMENT IN ASIA REVIEW Institutional Investors – Analysis The Breakthrough Formation of BEV brings attention to individual investors, accentuating their presence in long-term unlisted assets SWA20161223_Article01 Disseminated on 23rd December he private equity asset class has long shunned retail or Key Points Tindividual investors due to long- ● Launch of the US$1 bn Breakthrough Energy Ventures highlights the growing term illiquidity and the private veil that profile of individual investors shields transparency of transactions. The recent launch of the Breakthrough ● Individual investors have been actively participating in Asia deals, with surging Energy Ventures (‘BEV’), however, has numbers in recent years – proven that such a perception no longer ◦ 2011 – 2013: 64 deals needs to hold true. ◦ 2014 – 2016: 207 deals Profile of BEC’s Members Name Position Current Organisation Industry Location Background Mr Mukesh Ambani Chairman & Managing Director Reliance Industries Ltd Conglomerate India Industrialist Mr John Arnold Co-chair Laura and John Arnold Foundation Finance – Impact Investing USA HNI Mr Marc Benioff Founder, Chairman & CEO Salesforce.com Technology – E-commerce USA Entrepreneur Mr Jeff Bezos Founder & CEO Amazon Technology – E-commerce USA Entrepreneur HRH Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Chairman Alwaleed Philanthropies Individual Investor Saudi Arabia HNI Mr Michael Bloomberg Founder Bloomberg LP Media USA Entrepreneur Mr Richard Branson Founder Virgin Group Travel UK Entrepreneur -
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos Team up to Invest in Clean Tech
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos Team Up to Invest in Clean Tech November 30, 2015 (Source: Entrepreneur) — Bill Gates and some of the world’s other richest entrepreneurs will join with governments from both rich and emerging countries on Monday to kick off the Paris climate talks by pledging billions of dollars of investment in clean energy technologies. The United States, France, India and 17 other countries will announce they will double the $10 billion they collectively spend on clean energy research and development in the next five years, shining a spotlight on role of technology in any climate agreement reached in Paris. U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Mission Innovation initiative on the first day of the U.N. climate summit in Paris. They will appear alongside Gates, the Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist, who will launch a complementary private-sector effort to fast-track early-stage clean energy technologies. Gates will launch the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, a group of 28 private investors who hail from Silicon Valley to South Africa, that will invest billions of dollars in “patient, flexible risk capital” to bring riskier new technologies to market. “More capital at the early stage is going to drive the breakthroughs that will drive costs down,” said Brian Deese, Obama’s senior adviser on climate change who announced the private-public sector initiative to reporters in Washington. Other members of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition include Facebook Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg, Alibaba Chairman Jack Ma, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Ratan Tata, retired chairman of India’s Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, and South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe of African Rainbow Minerals. -
Bill Gates, Chairman of the Board of Breakthrough Energy Ventures
Bill Gates, Chairman of the Board of Breakthrough Energy Ventures, discussed investment in technology to address climate change, and his work in global health and education. Bill Gates Chairman of the Board Breakthrough Energy Ventures Monday, June 24, 2019 1 DAVID M. RUBENSTEIN: For about 20 years or so, you’ve been the wealthiest man in the world. But because you’ve given away so much money, recently Jeff Bezos became wealthier. Do you think if you had stayed in college and gotten your college degree – [laughter] – I mean, you don’t feel inadequate now, because – being only the second-wealthiest man in the world, is that right? BILL GATES: No. I mean, it’s a sign that I haven’t given the money away fast enough to drop out of the top 10. [Applause.] You know, and the market’s been strong. MR. RUBENSTEIN: Actually, the market has been strong. Microsoft is up 35 percent this year. So, to what do you attribute that? MR. GATES: The company, you know, is doing super well. Satya Nadella’s a great CEO. You know, the whole dream of the importance of software has really come true. The five most valuable companies in the world are these technology companies. Microsoft, you know, has a good share of that. I get to spend – about a sixth of my time now is over at Microsoft. MR. RUBENSTEIN: So recently you said that the biggest mistake you’ve made professionally was that Microsoft should have had the Android technology. Why was that the biggest mistake? MR. -
Breakthrough Energy Coalition
WHO KNEW?* BREAKTHROUGH ENERGY COALITION The foundational principle of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition is to dramatically scale up public research to develop technologies that provide “energy that is reliable, affordable and does not produce carbon.” Acknowledging that government research is not enough, BEC notes the importance of the skills and resources of leading investors with experience in driving innovation from the lab to the marketplace. Among the notable U.S. luminaries supporting this initiative are Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Bill Gates (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation), George Soros (Soros Fund Mgt.), Meg Whitman (HP), Tom Steyer (NextGen Climate) and Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook). International supporters include Richard Branson (Virgin Group-UK), Jack Ma (Alibaba Group-China) and Ratan Tata (Tata Sons-India). The group’s website notes that “Technology will help solve our energy issues. The urgency of climate change and the energy needs in the poorest parts of the world require an aggressive global program for zero-emission energy innovation. The new model will be a public-private partnership between governments, research institutions, and investors. Scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs can invent and scale the innovative technologies that will limit the impact of climate change while providing affordable and reliable energy to everyone. The existing system of basic research, clean energy investment, regulatory frameworks, and subsidies fails to sufficiently mobilize investment in truly transformative energy solutions for the future. We can’t wait for the system to change through normal cycles. “The foundation of this program must be large funding commitments for basic and applied research, and here governments play the key role.