The interdependent challenges of climate change need innovation in systems of practice and provision, not single innovation in products and processes. In this context, cities face the challenge of dealing with climate risks and impacts while moving to more sustainable, zero-carbon and resilient pathways. This is a significant opportunity for a new, sustainable market to combine existing knowledge and economies of scale within urban environments to produce new systemic solutions. However, there are considerable differences in progress between the leading cities (mainly in Northern/Western Europe) and the ones lagging behind. Intra-EU disparity claims for the existence of platforms that follow a systemic approach instead of “picking the winner”. The structures that allow for coordinating various actors by combining individual goals and capacities with shared purposes, norms and expectations refer to innovation platforms.
This study addresses the role of innovation platforms as catalysers of existing (or new) innovation systems in sustainable urban transitions to explore market opportunities. Empirically, emphasis is put on analysing the underlying factors of geographical structural differences and the patterns of relations between knowledge spaces and governance configurations. To do so, we analyse the portfolio of projects and activities of the EIT Climate-KIC. This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of innovation platforms as a mechanism to accelerate innovation in the urban environment that can enhance collaboration to achieve more equally distributed progress across all of Europe.
The results of this study are based on the activities implemented in the EIT RIS programme covering peripheral EU regions.
- Journal publication HERE
- Webinar format: Conference presentation UN/WASD International Conference on Public-private partnership for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 10-13 April 2018, Geneva
Research project team: Cristian Matti, Irene Vivas Lalinde, Julia Panny and Balnca Juan Agulló
