“Our planet earth is facing a convergence of crisis: climate change induced extreme events, global financial crisis, deepening poverty and unemployment, energy and food insecurity, social inequities and political instability, and fast depleting natural assets. These exacerbate the
challenge of sustainable development at all scales.Addressing these complex challenges requires unprecedented systemic transformations in knowledge, technologies and innovation at all levels to deliver required innovations that address
the needs of the masses.Globally, social innovation is addressing some of the world’s most pressing challenges
confronting society today – from fair trade, agribusiness, distance learning, mobile money transfer, youth employment, and waste reduction, to restorative justice and zero-carbon housing, and resilience capacity building. It is a new wave in innovation studies and practices that is profoundly changing beliefs, basic practices, resource flows and power relations within societies, and strengthening resilience, cooperation and collaboration amongst diverse stakeholders.”
