If net-zero emission targets are to be reached in an inclusive manner, a structural transformation of green policy governance is needed, along with a re-imagining of how countries cultivate national innovation systems. To decarbonise, G20 countries will need to promote innovation within both public and private sectors, avoiding previous innovation practices that have led to social and economic exclusion. By drawing upon inclusive frameworks for participatory democratic governance and knowledge democracies, we propose a series of recommendations on how conventional national innovation systems can be reconfigured into “Inclusive Green Innovation Systems” to deliver on the G20 presidency’s commitment to ensure that no one is left behind during the green energy transition. We advocate for a shift away from top-down, siloed policy making structures, to a knowledge governance framework that positions national governments as multi-level institutions that are responsive to academia, private sector, civil society organisations, and other knowledge-based actors. We draw upon case studies of low-emission innovation systems deployed across Asia, Africa and Europe that are promoting horizontal and reciprocal knowledge exchange between national and international actors, and are embedding knowledge into domestic institutions to ensure sustainable, low-emission, and inclusive economic growth.
