COP18 (5/12/12) Siemens Sustainability Director Kersten-Karl Barth at ICC-WBO event

Kersten-Karl Barth discusses the variety of incentives governments can use to promote low-carbon technologies, arguing that there is no ‘one size fits all’ and that decisions must be taken on a country by country basis.

“I’m a strong believer in markets, and they are like a good red wine. You shouldn’t drink it prematurely as it’s very sour, and you shouldn’t drink it too late because it’s just too late,” he says.

“There is a clear start and a clear end position for things like subsidies. You have to support new technologies to attain a certain growth, and to ensure they survive in the market.

“But you shouldn’t over-exaggerate, otherwise you are just killing innovations”.