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The Innovation Required to Address Climate Change

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On a daily basis we all hear news of forest fires, melting sea ice, droughts, flooding and other extreme events, with many of these being attributed to climate change. With the publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest report, we can see further evidence of how human activities have warmed Earth’s atmosphere, land and oceans.

The report shows global temperatures rising more quickly than expected, due to the increasing levels of CO2 in the air and that these will continue to increase until at least 2050 under all of the scenarios studied. This is the first in a series of published reports which will inform and influence inter-governmental discussions at the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference and the resulting actions agreed to mitigate further temperature increases.

With global temperatures rising more rapidly than previously thought and the potential longevity of changes in our oceans, ice sheets and atmosphere we now need to deliver urgent actions that address this. The need to reduce CO2, CH4 and other greenhouse gas emissions is not new, yet current government statements will not deliver the required reductions to limit global warming to 1.5°C. These statements need to be supplemented by progressively more challenging increases in the scale and ambition of emissions reductions beyond 2030.

Taking the diesel generator market as an example, the lack of grid infrastructure in remote locations and increasing industrialisation in developing countries are just two factors that are driving the growth of the diesel generator market globally. With every litre of diesel fuel generating 2.6kg of CO2, the decarbonisation of this sector alone has the potential to impact these emissions significantly and globally.

We know our Innovation Challenge is well timed and well directed. Aimed at decarbonising small-scale off-grid, mobile or temporary energy provision, successful projects have the potential to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to addressing the challenging climate change targets we all need to deliver.

We want to support a range of projects that deliver or demonstrate the viability of zero emission alternatives for small scale off-grid, mobile or temporary energy provision. These can include early stage opportunity or feasibility studies which will allow companies to develop a platform for future product and process development projects.

All information including Frequently Asked Questions, Application Form and Terms and Conditions can be found on our website with applications open until 11am on 20 August.

Sarah Petrie, Innovation Director, MSIP

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