The current economic and social challenges in Latin America and the Caribbean have highlighted both the region’s structural problems and the urgent need to find new drivers of economic growth. The old approaches to economic development will not enable Latin America and the Caribbean to overcome the present-day economic, health and climate crises. Governments must set bold goals and work with willing private sector partners to promote a truly sustainable and inclusive economy. By advancing mission-oriented industrial policies, countries can stimulate cooperation, diversify production, increase productivity and direct economic growth that is both sustainable and inclusive. There is a unique opportunity to shape economic development that maximizes public benefits through mission-driven innovation, better use of available tools, smart public-private partnerships and purpose-driven institutions, underpinned by a strong public service, results-based evaluation, inclusive stakeholder engagement and a commitment to a renewed social contract. The mission-driven industrial strategy is about imbuing governments and economies of the region with a new sense of purpose and ensuring that everyone in society benefits from the structural changes ahead.

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is important in advancing sustainable development across the globe. One approach available to countries to promote their sustainable development agendas is the advancement of STI to support the adoption of renewable energy technologies. The continued reliance on fossil fuels in the Caribbean is one of the factors hindering the rate at which countries within the subregion are developing. Taking this into account, this study assesses whether the advancement of STI is driving the energy transition in the Caribbean subregion and draws lessons on how STI can better support the subregion’s sustainable development agenda.