COP27: Calls For Greater Innovation

Participants at COP27 have called for greater innovation in the pursuit of environmental improvements. While it’s a positive message, and one we advocate, it seems rather at odds with reality.

A perfect example is in relation to the Environment Agency which is now taking approximately eight to nine months to assign bespoke environmental permits – compared with the previous three to four months. This does not include the determination time for that permit, which means the delay will be even longer.

Delays of this ilk undermine the efforts of companies like ours who are striving to bring more innovative options such as biotechnology into the mainstream. When permits aren’t delivered quickly it prevents cost efficiency, hampers further investment, slows environmental progress and undermines validity of technologies with the power to deliver positive change on the road to Net Zero.

COP27 is right to ask for greater innovation – but perhaps the more pressing issue is to remove barriers to the adoption of new technologies and make it easier for organisations to embrace change, without delay.