Transition regions: Regional–national eco-innovation systems and strategies

The key phenomenon around which the paper is constructed, given its core interest in the transition from a fossil fuels energy regime to a zero emissions and/or renewable energy regime (sometimes also ‘post-hydrocarbons’ regime; Smith, 2008), is the notion and explanation of ‘transition regions’. These are sub-national territories, usually with some degree of devolved governance in the fields of innovation, economic development and energy that, for reasons to be demonstrated, act as regional ‘lighthouses’ for eco-innovation both to other regions and countries. These are the places that are subject to ‘learning visits’ by global policy-makers and other interested parties eager to learn how success was achieved. Because regions differ within state-systems, the case material is presented according to three kinds of political model. These are, first, the liberal market model, notably north America and the UK; second is the co-ordinated market model such as Germany and some Nordic countries; and third hybrids which have a reasonably entrepreneurial economic climate typical of the ‘liberal market’ model but strong welfare states, more typical of the ‘co-ordinated market’ model such as Denmark, a small state, and China, a large one. Finally, each of six cases will be presented in the sequence of the ‘system’ and regional governance of ‘transition regions’ first, with the nature and role of the national eco-innovation regime summarised afterwards where top-down governmental influence is clearly visible, even weakly. Also eco-innovations that are broadly in the same field, such as renewable energy production, or electric vehicle consumption are studied, giving maximum comparative value from their emergence in different countries and regions.