Low‐carbon disruptive innovation in China

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore arguments for the importance of disruptive innovation to China's low‐carbon transition, while such innovation is generally overlooked and/or belittled.Design/methodology/approachThe paper builds on the multi‐level perspective (MLP) of systems transitions being developed by interdisciplinary scholars regarding low‐carbon innovation to explore the multiple opportunities regarding disruptive innovation in the case of China.FindingsThis exploration details that at the levels of business strategy, national economic development and governance of a transition to ecological sustainability, there is a strongprima faciecase that disruptive innovation offers singular opportunities in China regarding low‐carbon innovation, while a focus on hi‐tech innovation alone is unlikely to effect the radical systems transition needed.Practical implicationsAcknowledging and incorporating such opportunities is thus to be encouraged, both in China and elsewhere, including in the formulation of low‐carbon innovation policy. A concerted research programme for ongoing and iterative “second‐order” learning about concrete examples of disruptive low‐carbon innovation is advocated.Social implicationsThe increased opportunities for dispersed social involvement in a low‐carbon transition through disruptive innovation are discussed.Originality/valueThe paper offers a novel synthesis of diverse literatures to advocate a significantly different approach to low‐carbon innovation than is evidenced in current policy and policy discourse.