ENRLI Guest Lecture: Tom Whitehouse, Chairman, London Environment Investmen...

'Regulation as a spur to technology innovation in natural resources'?

Tom will discuss 4 case studies:

1. Water The Milwaukee cryptosporidium outbreak in 1993 rewrote the rules for drinking water treatment in the US, and created the opportunity for innovative ultrafiltration membranes to breakthrough into the mainstream.

2. Energy European 'feed-in' tariffs have dramatically increased the penetration of renewable power.

3. Waste The European WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) directive has spurred technology growth in remanufacturing and recommence (sister industries to recycling).

4. Agriculture The EU's Plant Protection Products Regulation has made 74% of all commercial pesticides illegal and thereby boosted the bio-pesticide technology sector significantly.

Tom will also analyse areas where regulation is likely to create opportunities in the near future (i.e. over the next two to four years). New water laws in China and India are prompting some interesting, if so far inconclusive, technology developments. Further, he will assess the problems caused to regulators (particularly in the US) by technologies so compelling that they are prompting regulatory change. For example, new drone technology.