[go: up one dir, main page]
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/zewdip/5510.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Towards a Theory and Policy of Eco-Innovation - Neoclassical and (Co-)Evolutionary Perspectives

Author

Listed:
  • Rennings, Klaus
Abstract
Innovation processes toward sustainable development (eco-innovations) have received increasing attention during the past years. Since existing theoretical and methodological frameworks do not address these problems adequately, research need can be identified to improve our understanding of innovation processes toward sustainability in their different dimensions, complex feedback mechanisms and interrelations. This paper discusses the potential contribution of neoclassical and (co-)evolutionary approaches from environmental and innovation economics to fill this gap. It is argued that both approaches have their merits and limits concerning a theory and policy of ecoinnovation. Neoclassical methods are most elaborated to analyze the efficiency of incentive systems which seems to be essential for stimulating innovation. Evolutionary approaches are more appropriate for analyzing long-term technological regime shifts. On this theoretical basis, a crucial question is if innovations toward sustainability can be treated like normal innovations or if a specific theory and policy are needed. Three specialties of eco-innovation are identified: the double externality problem, the regulatory push/pull effect and the increasing importance of social and institutional innovation. While the first two of them are widely ignored in innovation economics, the third is at least not elaborated appropriately. The consideration of these specialties may help to overcome market failure by establishing a specific eco-innovation policy and to avoid a "technology bias" by a broader understanding of innovation. Eco-innovation policy requires close coordination with environmental policy in all innovation phases. Environmental and eco-innovation policy can be regarded as complementarily. However, an environmental policy neglecting the potentially beneficial effects of a specific eco-innovation policy (especially in the invention phase) may lead to excessive economic costs. Due to the specialties of eco-innovation, it seems moreover to be crucial to strengthen the importance of social and institutional innovation in both eco-innovation theory and policy.

Suggested Citation

  • Rennings, Klaus, 1998. "Towards a Theory and Policy of Eco-Innovation - Neoclassical and (Co-)Evolutionary Perspectives," ZEW Discussion Papers 98-24, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:5510
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/24575/1/dp2498.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rennings, Klaus & Wiggering, Hubert, 1997. "Steps towards indicators of sustainable development: Linking economic and ecological concepts," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(1), pages 25-36, January.
    2. Pavitt, Keith, 1984. "Sectoral patterns of technical change: Towards a taxonomy and a theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 343-373, December.
    3. Adam B. Jaffe & Karen Palmer, 1997. "Environmental Regulation And Innovation: A Panel Data Study," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(4), pages 610-619, November.
    4. Richard B. Norgaard, 1984. "Coevolutionary Development Potential," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 60(2), pages 160-173.
    5. Rader, Nancy A. & Norgaard, Richard B., 1996. "Efficiency and sustainability in restructured electricity markets: the renewables portfolio standard," The Electricity Journal, Elsevier, vol. 9(6), pages 37-49, July.
    6. René Kemp, 1997. "Environmental Policy and Technical Change," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1187.
    7. Rennings, Klaus & Koschel, Henrike & Brockmann, Karl Ludwig & Kuhn, Isabel, 1999. "A regulatory framework for a policy of sustainability: lessons from the neo-liberal school," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 197-212, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Massimiliano Mazzanti & Giovanni Marin & Susanna Mancinelli & Francesco Nicolli, 2015. "Carbon dioxide reducing environmental innovations, sector upstream/downstream integration and policy: evidence from the EU," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 42(4), pages 709-735, November.
    2. Claudia Ghisetti & Alberto Marzucchi & Sandro Montresor, 2013. "Does external knowledge affect environmental innovations? An empirical investigation of eleven European countries," DISEIS - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo dis1301, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimento di Economia internazionale, delle istituzioni e dello sviluppo (DISEIS).
    3. Xie, Zhong & Lu, Wenling & Yu, Jing & Wu, Yanrui & Liu, Qing, 2022. "Development zones and green innovation: Evidence from Chinese listed companies," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    4. Segura-Bonilla, Olman, 2003. "Competitiveness, systems of innovation and the learning economy: the forest sector in Costa Rica," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(4), pages 373-384, December.
    5. Xu, Chao & Sun, Guanglin & Kong, Tao, 2024. "The impact of digital transformation on enterprise green innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 1-12.
    6. Davide Antonioli & Grazia Cecere & Massimiliano Mazzanti, 2018. "Information communication technologies and environmental innovations in firms: joint adoptions and productivity effects," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 61(11), pages 1905-1933, September.
    7. Evgeniya Lupova-Henry & Nicola Francesco Dotti, 2019. "Governance of sustainable innovation: Moving beyond the hierarchy-market-network trichotomy? A systematic literature review using the ‘who-how-what’ framework," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/283521, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    8. Zeng, Juying & Blanco-González-Tejero, Cristina & Sendra, F. Javier, 2023. "The spatial difference-in-difference measurement of policy effect of environmental protection interview on green innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. Han, Lei & Xiao, Zijun & Yu, Yongze, 2024. "Environmental judicature and enterprises’ green technology innovation: A revisit of the porter hypothesis," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    10. Anna J. Wieczorek & Marko P. Hekkert & Ruud E.H.M. Smits, 2009. "Contemporary Innovation Policy and Instruments: Challenges and Implications," Innovation Studies Utrecht (ISU) working paper series 09-12, Utrecht University, Department of Innovation Studies, revised Jul 2009.
    11. Albitar, Khaldoon & Al-Shaer, Habiba & Liu, Yang Stephanie, 2023. "Corporate commitment to climate change: The effect of eco-innovation and climate governance," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    12. Borghesi, Simone & Cainelli, Giulio & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2015. "Linking emission trading to environmental innovation: Evidence from the Italian manufacturing industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 669-683.
    13. Li, Yuchen & Meng, Jiayin & Zhou, Ruifan & Wang, Ying, 2024. "Does governmental venture capital (GVC) advance green innovation? Big data evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 772-788.
    14. Liu, Yunqiang & Liu, Sha & Shao, Xiaoyu & He, Yanqiu, 2022. "Policy spillover effect and action mechanism for environmental rights trading on green innovation: Evidence from China's carbon emissions trading policy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rennings, Klaus, 2000. "Redefining innovation -- eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 319-332, February.
    2. Costantini, Valeria & Crespi, Francesco & Palma, Alessandro, 2017. "Characterizing the policy mix and its impact on eco-innovation: A patent analysis of energy-efficient technologies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(4), pages 799-819.
    3. Borghesi, Simone & Cainelli, Giulio & Mazzanti, Massimiliano, 2015. "Linking emission trading to environmental innovation: Evidence from the Italian manufacturing industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 669-683.
    4. Pinget, Amandine, 2016. "Spécificités des déterminants des innovations environnementales : une approche appliquée aux PME [Specificities of determinants for environmental innovation : an approach applied to SMEs]," MPRA Paper 80108, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Ren, Shenggang & Hu, Yucai & Zheng, Jingjing & Wang, Yangjie, 2020. "Emissions trading and firm innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    6. Stavins, Robert & Jaffe, Adam & Newell, Richard, 2000. "Technological Change and the Environment," Working Paper Series rwp00-002, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    7. Valeria Costantini & Francesco Crespi, 2013. "Public policies for a sustainable energy sector: regulation, diversity and fostering of innovation," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 401-429, April.
    8. Jeroen van den Bergh & John Gowdy, 2000. "Evolutionary Theories in Environmental and Resource Economics: Approaches and Applications," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 17(1), pages 37-57, September.
    9. Martin Larsson, 2017. "EU Emissions Trading: Policy-Induced Innovation, or Business as Usual? Findings from Company Case Studies in the Republic of Croatia," Working Papers 1705, The Institute of Economics, Zagreb.
    10. Tilmann Rave & Frank Goetzke & Mario Larch, 2011. "The Determinants of Environmental Innovations and Patenting: Germany Reconsidered," ifo Working Paper Series 97, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich.
    11. Barbieri, Nicolò, 2015. "Investigating the impacts of technological position and European environmental regulation on green automotive patent activity," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 140-152.
    12. Francesco Crespi & Claudia Ghisetti & Francesco Quatraro, 2015. "Taxonomy of Implemented Policy Instruments to Foster the Production of Green Technologies and Improve Environmental and Economic Performance. WWWforEurope Working Paper No. 90," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 58131.
    13. Jeroen Van den Bergh & Frans Oosterhuis, 2005. "An Evolutionary Economic Analysis of Energy Transitions," ERSA conference papers ersa05p823, European Regional Science Association.
    14. Rennings, Klaus & Ziegler, Andreas, 2004. "Determinants of Environmental Innovations in Germany: Do Organizational Measures Matter? A Discrete Choice Analysis at the Firm Level," ZEW Discussion Papers 04-30, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    15. Chassagnon, Virgile & Haned, Naciba, 2015. "The relevance of innovation leadership for environmental benefits: A firm-level empirical analysis on French firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 194-207.
    16. Xie, Rong-hui & Yuan, Yi-jun & Huang, Jing-jing, 2017. "Different Types of Environmental Regulations and Heterogeneous Influence on “Green” Productivity: Evidence from China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 104-112.
    17. Lee, Jaegul & Veloso, Francisco M. & Hounshell, David A., 2011. "Linking induced technological change, and environmental regulation: Evidence from patenting in the U.S. auto industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1240-1252.
    18. Sandra Silva & Jorge Valente & Aurora Teixeira, 2012. "An evolutionary model of industry dynamics and firms’ institutional behavior with job search, bargaining and matching," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 7(1), pages 23-61, May.
    19. Yong-Sung Park, 2004. "A Study on the Determinants of Environmental Innovation in Korean Energy Intensive Industry," International Review of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(2), pages 89-101, January.
    20. Manuel Frondel & Jens Horbach & Klaus Rennings, 2007. "End‐of‐pipe or cleaner production? An empirical comparison of environmental innovation decisions across OECD countries," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(8), pages 571-584, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:5510. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/zemande.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.