Addressing both the challenge of climate change and the growing energy needs of the world will only be possible if we can achieve a breakthrough in clean technologies so as to deliver safe, clean and sustainable energy to future generations. Such a large-scale technological transition will require massive investments in the research and development (R&D) of clean energy, with public expenditures providing an important avenue to stimulate scientific advances.

Public investment in science and technology is thus critical for meeting future energy needs. In a recent News and Views article published in the first issue of Nature Energy (italics), Dr. Joelle Noailly, Head of Research at CIES and Lecturer in International Economics, comments on recent research analyzing the effectiveness of government energy R&D and the timescale for it to deliver scientific research outcomes.

See full text at: http://www.nature.com/articles/nenergy201638.

Noailly,. J. (2016) Research funding: Patience is a virtue. Nature Energy (italics), News and Views, Vol. 1, April.