Abstract

The chapter reviews research on public policy in low-carbon technology industries with a particular emphasis on the implications of an important change in the structure of global production – the rise of global production networks (GPNs). It argues that GPNs in low-carbon technologies have particularly important implications for a core concern within the field of IPE: how do policies implemented by national governments interact in a global economy characterised by profound interdependence? This question takes on particular importance because markets for low-carbon technologies are highly dependent on government intervention. The chapter shows that the characteristics of the underlying technologies – such as solar photovoltaic and wind turbines – help explain the patterns of global production in low-carbon technologies, and to what extent public policies influence GPN formation.