Abstract
The presentation of a leading representative of the US Department of Energy on Climate Change titled ‘Mission Innovation: Clean Energy Collaboration After Paris’ in Berlin 2016 allowed only for one conclusion: Technological innovation is the only hope in our fight against global warming. Combined initiatives of governmental and private stakeholders to provide the necessary R&D funds and seed capital such as Mission Innovation and the Breakthrough Energy Coalition have been presented to the public at the COP 21 as effective means to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and subsequently global warming. Although these initiatives seem to have the potential to trigger off further R&D investments -which are surely necessary- it is doubtful that this will be the case. The conceptual and literature-based contribution seeks to comprehend, to explain, and to assess motives, implementation, and direct and indirect outcomes and effects of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition. At this stage, it aims at provoking a discussion on what role management scholars can and should play in assessing and improving initiatives and measures to mitigate global warming.