Search

Green energy efficiency (GEE) is pivotal for sustainable economic growth, particularly in the context of China's ambitious environmental goals. This study assesses the impact of Green Financial Reform and Innovation Pilot Zones on GEE from 2005 to 2020, using the SBM-GML method and a Double Difference Model (DID). Findings indicate a significant improvement in GEE within these zones, driven by advancements in green innovation and environmental regulation. At the micro level, firms in pilot zones show enhanced Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance and experience fewer financial constraints. The effectiveness of green finance policies is more pronounced in resource-rich and financially efficient regions, suggesting that these initiatives can significantly contribute to sustainable development. Based on empirical evidence, we recommend expanding pilot zones, promoting green technological innovation, and developing tailored green finance policies to address regional ecological sensitivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating demand for resources in urban and rural construction development raises the crucial question of achieving green development within limited resource constraints. This study delves into the interplay between environmental policy and green development in urban and rural construction. Utilizing the spatial Durbin model for analysis, findings reveal that investment-oriented environmental regulation significantly impacts green development and positive spillover effects in neighboring regions when considering spatial weight matrices. In contrast, cost-based environmental regulations positively affect green development when spatial interactions are disregarded. However, they exhibit negative effects at the spatial level, potentially leading to a "pollution relocation" phenomenon. Although the influence of R& D subsidy-based environmental regulations on green development is not significant, their impact becomes notable upon considering spatial interactions, potentially generating positive effects across regions through mechanisms such as technology diffusion and knowledge transfer. Furthermore, from an endogeneity perspective, the impact of environmental regulatory tools on green development exhibits a time lag effect. Moreover, investment-type regulation in the eastern regions significantly fosters green development, whereas cost-based regulation shows a suppressive effect; investment-type regulation in central regions has a positive spillover on neighboring areas; and R&D subsidies in western regions negatively impact local green development. Moreover, the quality of governmental institutions, market integration, and technological innovation are key factors influencing green development in China's urban and rural construction. This study reveals the direct and indirect effects of various environmental policy tools on green development in urban and rural areas. It emphasizes the importance of considering spatial interactions in implementing environmental policies, providing a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for optimizing environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green credit can alleviate the financing constraints of green enterprises, and thus is an important policy to encourage green development and mitigate climate change. However, how green credit affects the technological innovation of clean energy enterprise (TICEE) and the role of corporate policy catering behavior (CPCB) both need to be further explored. Therefore, the impact mechanisms of green credit and the roles of CPCB are empirically tested by the mediation model and moderation model, respectively. Compared with large, eastern and mature enterprises, green credit plays a stronger positive role in the technological innovation of small, central and western and growing enterprises. Green credit optimizes enterprises' debt financing by alleviating financing constraints, reducing debt costs and extending debt maturity structure, thus driving technological innovation. Besides, the two most typical types of CPCB — research and development (R&D) manipulation and rent-seeking — weaken the positive effect of green credit on TICEE. However, CPCB weakens less on the quality of innovation of large, mature and eastern enterprises. Accordingly, green credit should be strengthened to promote TICEE, and the supervision of corporate speculation should also be strengthened to avoid the policy's failure. [Display omitted] • Green credit promotes the technological innovation of clean energy enterprises. • Corporate financing constraints, debt cost and debt maturity mediate the effect. • Policy catering behavior inhibits the role of green credit in corporate innovation. • The effects are stronger on small, growing enterprises in developing regions. • Various policy priorities and avoiding corporate speculation should be highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the inaugural attempt to investigate the herding behavior of firms in the context of environmental orientation to achieve the UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) in the ASEAN region. Insights from the previous literature infer that peer effect is visibly seen in firms across various fields, especially amongst their CSR and ESG performance. Using data from the Thai listed firms, we document strong evidence of peer effects concerning environmental performance and its dimensions (emission reduction, product innovation, and resource reduction). The targeted time frame for the current study is from 2009 to 2019 for which we analyze the firms listed on the Thailand Stock Exchange (SET). Moreover, the results of our study support the fact that mimicking behavior is one of the common behaviors that is followed by the majority of the firms keeping in view their varied purposes which include enhancing their market reputation, increasing profits, attracting shareholders and investors and most importantly raising their sustainability standing. Thus, overall our study highlights the main perspective that peer effects and herding behavior a common practices amongst firms concerning their environmental policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although technological innovation plays a critical role in promoting sustainable development and environmental sustainability, there are few studies in the existing literature that address this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between technological innovation (TI), renewable energy consumption (REC), natural resource rent (NRR) and ecological footprint (EF) of E-7 countries (i.e. Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Russia and Turkiye) from 1992 to 2018 in order to ensure environmental sustainability in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Analysis was performed using the ARDL estimator, robustness test and Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality (DHC) test. Long-term empirical estimates from the PMG-ARDL technique have shown that a 1 % increase in TI and REC reduces EF by 0.064 % and 0.234 %, respectively, i.e. increases environmental sustainability. At this point, it is possible to say that TI and REC contribute to the achievement of SDG-7 and 13 in E-7 countries while NRR and real income (GDP) were found to impede the achievement of SDG-7 and 13 in E-7 countries through an increase in EF. The results were confirmed using robustness techniques. In the DHC test results, while there is a unidirectional causality from TI to EF, from EF to NRR and trade openness, a bidirectional causality was found between GDP and EF. This study suggests that policymakers should focus on introducing environmentally friendly equipment to reduce environmental degradation, increase the share of RECs and focus on sustainable development within the framework of the SDGs. • We explore nexus between technological innovation affect the ecological footprint in E-7 economies. • Adoption of second-generational panel econometrics techniques. • Technological innovation and renewable energy consumption help in mitigating climate change. • Green growth policies should be pursued in E7 energy mix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of China's environmental regulations, with a focus on the green credit policy, on green innovation in pursuit of the "carbon peak and carbon neutrality" goal. Given the implementation of the 2012 Green Credit Guidelines, this paper employs the Difference-in-Difference Method (DID) and conducts a quasi-natural experiment to empirically examine the interactions among the central government, local governments, and high-pollution and high-emission enterprises by exploring the impact of green credit policies on green innovation of these enterprises. Relying on 4503 samples of 237 high-pollution and high-emission enterprises listed in the main board in China from 2003 to 2021, this study reveals that the green credit policy can improve green innovation of these enterprises. Specifically, this study explores the detailed mechanism through which the green credit policy enables these enterprises to increase their market concentration and then the monopoly profits, which in turn promotes their green innovative productivity. In addition, this paper also reveals how local governments' political and financial incentives may serve as positive and negative moderating factors, respectively, within the impact mechanism. This study has valuable implications for how to effectively formulate and implement environmental regulations by balancing the interests of the central government, local governments and enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have suggested that implementing green human resource management (GHRM) can help alleviate ecological issues around the world and enhance sustainable practices, resulting in better environmental performance (EnvP). This study delves into the relationship between green innovation, environmental policy, and green behavior in the workplace, and how they relate to GHRM and EnvP. Moreover, it delves into the dual mediation of green innovation and workplace green behavior, as well as the moderating influence of environmental policy. Data was gathered from 384 employees employed by Malaysian manufacturing firms that adhere to green HR practices, prioritize environmental issues, and comply with environmental policies. The data was analyzed using Smart PLS. The findings reveal that green innovation, green behavior at work, and environmental policy act as mediators and moderator in the relationship between GHRM and the EnvP of companies. The research also shows that GHRM operations are making increased efforts towards EnvP, specifically in terms of promoting green innovation and encouraging green behavior in the workplace. Likewise, these actions have a direct impact on a company's EnvP. This study demonstrates the vital role of GHRM activities in the manufacturing industry. It conclusively proves that these activities can effectively promote green behavior in the workplace, thus significantly enhancing the social and EnvP of companies. This invaluable information is indispensable for both researchers and managers in their drive towards sustainable development. [Display omitted] • The environmental conditions in the manufacturing sector are being debated. • Investigate the double mediation of green innovation and behavior in the workplace. • Propose a model for evaluating environmental outcomes in the manufacturing sector. • Moderating function of environmental policy fosters green innovation and performance. • Employees green practices and environmental policies boost manufacturing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green transition is important for the economics of the OECD countries and their transition to cleaner production. This paper estimates a knowledge production function consisting of a system of innovation inputs, innovation outputs, and productivity with feedback effect from productivity on innovation investments. The model accounts for productivity shock, endogeneity of inputs, and their simultaneity and interdependence. Productivity shock is a latent unobserved component that is specified in terms of observable factors. The model is estimated using Bayesian methods organized around Marco Chain Sequential Monte Carlo iteration techniques also known as Particle Filtering. For the empirical part, the paper uses balanced panel data covering 27 OECD countries' green innovation and patents activities observed during the period 1990–2018. Our empirical results show evidence of significant heterogeneity in productivity and its relationship with its identified determinants. The paper also discusses the implications of these results for OECD countries' green growth strategies. • This paper estimates a knowledge production function with system of equations. • It accounts for endogeneity of inputs and their simultaneity and interdependence. • The latent productivity shock is specified in terms of observable factors. • Uses panel data covering 27 OECD countries observed from 1990 to 2018. • Find heterogeneity in productivity & its relationship with identified determinants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment-related innovations are widely appreciated as a vital factor in achieving sustainable development goals, and stability in the financial sector can help boost the output of environmental innovations by removing financial constraints. Hence, the primary aim of the analysis is to investigate the impact of financial stability on environmental innovation in China by using the QARDL model over the period 1995Q1-2020Q4. The study's main findings confirm the positive role of financial stability on environmental innovation in both the short and long run. Wald test also confirms the asymmetric impact of financial stability on environmental innovation in the short and long run. Moreover, the long-run impacts of GDP, R&D activities, and environmental policy stringency on environmental innovation are positive. In the short run, the estimates of research and development and environmental policy stringency are positively significant at higher quantiles only. Based on the findings, our research will help policymakers to develop valuable policies for financial stability to enhance environmental innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As urbanization has developed, a variety of urban clusters have gradually emerged with important effects on regional economic growth and carbon emissions. This paper constructs a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) model for testing how urban cluster synergistic development policy (UCSDP) affects urban carbon productivity in 148 cities of China with 13 urban clusters as the experimental group from 2003 to 2019. According to the results, the UCSDP improves carbon productivity, mainly via reducing energy intensity. In addition, UCSDP improves carbon productivity by adjusting energy structure, increasing green innovation, altering city greening levels, and accelerating the process of urbanization. Moreover, it can produce synergistic effects in terms of energy structure, green innovation, greening level, and urbanization level. Furthermore, the UCSDP has heterogeneous effects on the carbon productivity in various cities. Specifically, the carbon productivity of high-status, high-rank, and resource-based cities responds more significantly to UCSDP. Therefore, policymakers should strengthen the integration of urban clusters, offer targeted development suggestions for different cities, modify the energy and greening structure, accelerate the process of urbanization, and focus on the formulation of reasonable environmental regulation policies. • Exploring the impact of UCSDP on carbon productivity with multi-period DID model. • The improvement of carbon productivity by UCSDP mainly comes from the decrease of energy intensity. • UCSDP increases carbon productivity by affecting energy structure, green innovation, greening level and urbanization level. • UCSDP produces synergistic effects in terms of energy structure, green innovation, greening level and urbanization level. • The impact of UCSDP on carbon productivity varies by city status, city rank and city type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Pollution Haven hypothesis and Porter hypothesis provide two different behavioral strategies for pollution industries under stringent environmental regulations, which make a clear line between the two hypotheses in the previous literature. This paper studies the pollution industry transfer in China from the perspective of industry mobility, and proves that the transfer of pollution industries under environmental regulations is the comprehensive effect of "Pollution Haven" and "Innovation Compensation" by using Chinese provincial-level data from 2000 to 2015. The empirical results find that strongly mobile pollution industries have tended to transfer directly to the areas with loose regulations, but "Innovation Compensation" effect is not significant, leading to the pollution industries transferring out; the weakly mobile pollution industries have not shown the "Pollution Heaven" effect, environmental regulations will stimulate innovation and increase industry output through the mechanism of "Innovation Compensation", which increases the regional proportion of pollution industries output. In short, we believe this study can provide a new perspective for explaining the current pollution industry transfer in China and help for more precise and reasonable environmental policies. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Based on the industry mobility, this paper studies the pollution industry transfer in China. • We break the line between PHH and PH by providing an analytical framework and an empirical test. • Pollution industries with different mobility have different strategies respond to regulations. • Pollution industry transfer is a result of the comprehensive effect of PHH and PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As pressure on resources and the environment continues to intensify, the development of the automobile industry must maintain its momentum. At the same time, the demand for the transition of the national economy to a more sustainable style is increasing. Under such circumstances, the new energy vehicle industry has drawn increasing attention in China and abroad. This nascent industry requires supportive policies from the government for its success. The purpose of this study is to compare the similarities and differences of new energy vehicle-related policies for developing new energy vehicles in China, Japan, Germany, and the United States (U.S.). Based on the analytic hierarchy process-entropy weight method (i.e., AHP-EW model), a combination of subjectivity and objectivity, we adopt a quantitative method to appraise the new energy vehicle development situation in these four countries with a series of indexes, such as technological innovation, market development status, and infrastructure construction level. The results show that Germany is the strongest in terms of comprehensive measurements, followed by China, the U.S., and Japan. In this ranking, the U.S. shows the strongest technological innovation abilities; China is number one in marketing; and Japan is first in infrastructure construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maturing literature on innovation has recognized the processes of sectoral and technological systems of innovation as helpful frameworks to analyze environmental innovation – a field whose importance continues to grow amidst contemporary regulatory pressures, for example, on maritime industry and shipping. This paper intertwines these key innovation concepts and applies them to classify and systematize an environmental product innovation: marine scrubber systems. The paper also addresses the linkage between innovation policy and environmental regulation and presents an overall framework to visualize and systematize conceptual connections between sectoral and technological systems of innovation to further develop and manage these complex systems of environmental innovation inducement. The paper applies technological and legal materials depicting the context of maritime scrubber systems as technological responses to more rigid environmental regulation by addressing their implications for market potential and change. The results underline the importance of environmental regulations as the driver of the development of technological innovation systems centered on environmental innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China's longest-implemented market-based environmental regulation policy, emission charges have contributed outstandingly to improving the ecological environment and reducing firms' pollution emissions. We assess the impact of emission charges on the innovation quality of Chinese firms based on the perspective of firms' breakthrough technological innovation. By observing Chinese A-share listed firms with heavy pollution from 2011 to 2020, we find that corporate breakthrough technological innovation positively moderates the emission charges to enhance the quality of corporate innovation. Our mechanism tests suggest that emission charges and breakthrough technological innovation positively affect innovation quality by improving the means of green innovation of enterprises. In addition, heterogeneity analysis shows that emission charges and firms' breakthrough technological innovation are only effective in improving the innovation quality of state-owned firms, and the effect on the innovation quality of non-state-owned firms is not significant. Our findings suggest that the imposition of emission charges and incentives for firms to embark on breakthrough technological innovation can effectively improve the quality of innovation. • The article is probably the first literature to explore the effects of breakthrough technological innovation and emission charges on the innovation quality of heavily polluting enterprises in China, enriching the research on the impact of enterprise innovation models on environmental regulation. • Based on the IPC information of enterprise patent applications, the paper distinguishes enterprise innovation patterns and explores the moderating effect of breakthrough technological innovation on emission charges to enhance the quality of enterprise innovation. • This paper provides micro evidence on the impact of environmental regulation on innovation quality based on the perspective of firms' breakthrough technological innovation, which has important implications for adopting environmental regulation to achieve a "win-win" situation between pollution control and improving innovation quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the sustainability transitions of technological innovation systems (TISs) in the context of multi-level governance frameworks. TISs which are spatially embedded in both international and national arenas are simultaneously governed by the governance frameworks in different layers, i.e. international institutions on a macro level, national institutions on a meso level and domestic dynamics of novel technologies on a micro level. Through the investigation of the biodiesel innovation system in Taiwan, this study concludes that international institutions could appropriately play a role in the guidance of search, while national governments should ensure policies are consistent and generate appropriateness on the domestic TISs' functions. If the domestic TISs’ functions are appropriately guided by the institutions on the above levels, novel technologies that sustainably transit the systems would then emerge on a micro level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigates the effects of energy-related technologies on economic performance at firm level. We distinguish clearly between adoption and use of energy-related technologies (process innovation in the broad sense) and product innovation in energy-related fields. We take into consideration four energy-related policy instruments (and expected demand for energy-related new products and services). We investigate the possibility of indirect effects of policy on performance via adoption or innovation by interacting adoption and innovation variables with policy instrument dummies. We test our hypotheses not only for the pooled data but also separately for the three countries (Austria, Germany, Switzerland) that are taken into consideration in this study. We find a positive direct effect of investment expenditures for energy-related technologies on labour productivity – that measure intensity of adoption of energy-related technologies – and a positive indirect effect of energy taxes via investment in energy-related technologies. Further, we find positive direct and indirect effects of regulation , standards and voluntary agreements via the adoption of production-related technologies and for technologies for the generation of renewal energy sources . We find neither direct nor indirect effects of the sales of innovative energy-related products – that measure product innovation in energy-related products – on labour productivity. No differences among the three countries could be detected with respect to investment in energy-related technologies and sales of innovative energy-related products. The indirect effects of regulation and standards and voluntary agreements can be primarily traced back to German firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovation effect is an important component when measuring the performance of environmental policy instruments. Based on a questionnaire survey, this research has examined corporate energy conservation and emission reduction efforts in energy intensive industries in China under the pressure of different climate policies, and in particular looked into their adoption of those technological innovation and diffusion activities. The results show a large variety of corporate adoption of energy-saving practical activities. In general, climate policies have played a greater role in promoting the adoption of managerial energy-saving activities in respondent companies, while comparatively their influences on the adoption of technology upgrading activities are relatively weak. Regulatory measures have exerted greater pressure and influence on corporate short-term behavioural change, as stated by the respondent companies. However, market based instruments show greater incentive effect in promoting adoption of energy conservation and emission reduction activities that refer to corporate long-term oriented strategic planning or adjustment. For instance they exert a significant incentive effect on increasing long-term research and development investment for technological innovation, and also play an important role in optimising corporate organisational structure. The econometric analysis further proves the influences of market-based instruments in promoting corporate adoption of technological innovation and diffusion activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the environmental governance dilemma caused by environmental decentralization, this study aims to explore whether the strategic synergy between local and neighborhood environmental regulations can be an essential tool to improve green innovation efficiency and achieve sustainable development. Using the data of industrial firms from 2005 to 2019, and employing network slack-based measure and Tobit regression, this study provides empirical evidence that (1) the green innovation efficiency shows an upward trend in fluctuations but still has great room for improvement; (2) the direct impact of local environmental regulation on green innovation is positive, but the indirect impact through forcing firms to transfer into the neighborhood with loose regulation is negative, that is, the industrial transfer plays a suppression effect; (3) the strategic synergy of environmental regulations has U-shaped and direct effect on green innovation and also has a positive indirect effect through inhibiting the firm's behavior transferring into the neighborhood. This study reveals the influence mechanism of the strategic synergy of local-neighborhood environmental regulations and offers empirical evidence to explain the reason why synergistic environmental governance can effectively promote green innovation, which provides the theoretical guidance for government to formulate environmental policies and construct an environmental governance system. • The innovation efficiency shows an upward trend in fluctuations but has great improvement room. • The local environmental regulation significantly improves innovation efficiency. • The industrial transfer suppresses the effect of local regulation on innovation efficiency. • The strategic synergy of local-neighborhood regulations has U-shaped on innovation efficiency. • This strategic synergy also inhibits the firms' behavior transferring to neighborhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public environmental awareness (PEA) is critical to the implementation of environmental policies by governments and product strategies by companies, however, there is less literature discussing its drivers. Environmental information disclosure (EID), as a bottom-up environmental policy, promotes public environmental management. This paper takes the Pollution Information Transparency Index (PITI) as a proxy for the degree of EID and discusses its impact on PEA. Using the PITI of 113 cities and the Baidu index-based PEA for 30 provinces from 2010 to 2019, we find a significant increase in PEA with the widening of EID, and the impacts of EID get larger as the quantile increases. Moreover, the effects of EID on PEA are amplified in areas with heavy pollution, high levels of green innovation, and stringent environmental governance capacities, but are diminished in areas with rampant corruption. The findings of this paper provide recommendations for optimizing EID implementation. • With the expansion of EID, PEA has increased significantly. • The impacts of EID on PEA are amplified in areas with high pollution, green innovation, and strict governance capacities. • The impacts of EID on PEA are diminished in areas with rampant corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a broad consensus on the contribution of the so-called eco-innovations to the sustainability transition of economic activity and on the power of policy instruments to redirect innovation towards solving environmental challenges over time. However, despite remarkable academic efforts in this direction, there is a shortage of studies empirically analysing the link between environmental policy and innovation activities. Using firm-level data gathered from the Community Innovation Surveys of two specific years, 2008 and 2014, from eleven European countries, we apply a difference-in-difference approach to provide a clear-cut test of the effects of Phase III of the EU's Emissions Trading System on low-carbon innovations of energy-intensive firms. Our results suggest that environmental policy may affect firms' environmental performance by improving eco-innovating efforts. In fact, the new environmental policy not only induced an adaptive response , in which firms adjust their level of emissions to this new cost scheme, it also induced a creative response , leading companies to move outside of the range of their existing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncertainty in economic policies and regulations incentivizes firms to delay investments in environmental research and developments (R&D) or postpone environmental projects that are costly to undo. A consequence of those decisions is that firms innovate less for the environment. Using 1026 U.S. firm data (equivalent to 13,241 firm-year observations) this study shows that a negative effect of policy uncertainty – a drop in environmental innovation – does not surface in the short term but in the longer term, i.e., in 5–6 years' time. The negative effect, nevertheless, dissipates after six years. These findings are of relevance to other developed countries as well as emerging countries that have a relatively higher uncertainty in their economic policies and regulations. In sum, the results call for attention from governments and regulators around the world: uncertainty in policies and regulations are detrimental to combating climate change and promoting environmental sustainability . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many environmental networks form around specific initiatives with prescribed outcome objectives. When the objectives are met, the networks frequently disband. Technological transfer halts and the social capital built up during the initiative fragments, in many cases, disappearing altogether. In an era of globally unsustainable economic activity, encouraging progressive innovation and broadening the scale and scope of knowledge transfer is one strategy for helping to attenuate ecological damage. This paper presents empirical field work which explores the Kalundborg Symbiosis in Denmark – a network of economic actors that has organically come together to implement industrial ecology principles – and documents how this network has managed to foster progressive innovation. The four drivers which emerged as central for fostering collaboration are i) a pragmatic environmental mindset, ii) the existence of opportunities to explore possibilities, iii) mutually beneficial initiatives and iv) the presence of dominant needs which stimulate a proactive search for solutions. The paper also contributes to sustainable public policy and urban planning literature by considering how municipal involvement can foster progressive and sustained development within the Kalundborg Symbiosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-innovation combines economic advantage with lower ecological-resource burdens. Eco-innovation has been generally directed at energy input-substitutes, component recycling, etc. Some companies have made investments reducing resource burdens in the production process. This study investigated options for eco-efficiency improvement in two large manufacturing companies, Volvo and Arla Foods. Their impetus for eco-innovation comes from the companies' environmental policies, as well as from external drivers such as future higher costs and resource scarcity. Relative to their respective industrial sector, these companies represent strong prospects for reducing resource burdens in water-service processes, especially from chemical inputs and wastewater. Such eco-innovations involve more complex interactions beyond the production site, so the options warrant a whole-system comparative assessment. The EcoWater project has analysed the entire water-service value chain through meso-level interactions among heterogeneous actors (process-water users, providers and wastewater treatment companies). The project has developed a methodology to obtain the necessary information, to involve stakeholders in the assessment and to facilitate their discussion on alternative options. Each study stimulated internal company discussions on the need and means to evaluate whole-system effects of investment decisions. Inter-organisational cooperation helped to anticipate how meso-level resource-efficiency relates to lower burdens in wastewater treatment. The assessment method can be extended to any water-service system. By comparing options, the method can facilitate better decisions improving meso-level resource efficiency. As wider implications, some improvement options may complicate 'eco-innovation' as double-eco benefits: win-win for whom, where and what level? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policy instruments introduced with the aim of promoting environmental sustainability are often designed and evaluated in terms of their impact with regard to facilitating technological change. Most ‘green’ policy instruments that have emerged in recent decades have targeted facilitation of the development and adoption of greener processes, goods and services. Concurrent business models have sought to create and capture value arising from this policy-induced transition to more environmentally sustainable practices. Both such policy instruments and the business models are, however, often evaluated more in terms of their impact on the development and adoption of innovations and less in terms of their impact on behavioural change. This paper provides a critical review of the interplay between green policy instruments and green business models from a behavioural perspective. Instead of looking at policy instruments from a technology-push and demand-pull perspective, this paper samples them in terms of ‘sticks’, ‘carrots’ and ‘sermons’ and then provides a critical review of business models that have emerged in response to these types of policy regimes. The paper finds that most green business models that have emerged in the built environment - in response to sticks - may be characterised as buck-passing, i.e. passing costs to others and skirting around the stick of regulation. Those that emerge in response to carrots as opportunistic carpet-bagging aimed at capturing a temporary gain. Finally, those that emerged in response to sermon-orientated awareness campaigns, show a tendency to diffuse even in the absence of supportive fiscal conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When new energy efficient products are struggling with their commercialisation and diffusion into widespread applications you would typically expect policy-makers and green lead-users to guide the way. This paper examines the case of the hot water circulator pump industry in Europe, where parts of the industry envisioned and worked for a voluntary energy label, bringing technological innovation, new business and energy savings of approx. 85% for each new circulator pump. The case study explores the complexities of innovation processes where technology, market, actors and policy co-evolve over time to transform an existing socio-technical regime. The paper highlights the importance of policies to reduce barriers towards innovation and energy efficiency and shows that it is not always policy-makers that establish the crucial policies that change the innovation dynamics for the benefit of the environment and the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of new technologies and techniques for industrial carbon reduction has risen to prominence in contemporary engineering and economics studies, a trend triggered by rising levels of concern regarding climate change. Within this context, the scientific literature puts emphasis on energy topics and energy policy. Studies from the social science, economics and management science perspectives would benefit from a coherent and recognized taxonomy of the subthemes, a taxonomy that spans disciplines and guides studies of the carbon reduction and technology (CRT) debate in the various industrial sectors. This paper identifies and analyses the existing body of literature; it systematically reviews a set of 3310 scholarly contributions. The study also conducts a semantic social network analysis from that dataset's keywords, identifying promising core themes. Findings include the need for more management research in this field, the need for an interdisciplinary research agenda. We also observe a growing contribution of the Chinese academy to this complex and diversified debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) technology innovation is strongly related to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) management strategies. It does not only effect the amount and speed of WEEE generation through products replacement, but it also exerts overall long-term impacts on the environmental performance of EEE system. Therefore, those impacts should be evaluated quantitatively. A concept framework is developed and applied in the case study of display product technology innovation, and a Multi-Life Cycle Assessment method is proposed to evaluate the environmental impacts of technology innovation on multi-generation systems. The study concludes that constant EEE technology innovation along with frequent product replacement may lead to acute fluctuations of WEEE generation and significant multi-generation products system environmental impacts. Hence, the product-oriented environmental policies, including waste management policies, should take technology innovation into consideration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-innovation is an important driving force of high-quality economic development, which can promote economic growth while also ensuring ecological benefits. However, the characteristics of public goods, as well as the dual positive externalities of eco-innovation, lead to its internal reliance on government. Using China's low-carbon city pilot policy as an example, this paper empirically examines the impact of the pilot environmental policy on urban eco-innovation. The results demonstrate that the pilot policies promote urban eco-innovation and a progressive pilot policy promotion model presents an 'experience accumulation effect' in which the effect of the second batch of pilot policies is significantly better than that of the first batch. Dynamic analysis indicates that the eco-innovation effect of the first batch of pilot policies exerts a policy lag. Specifically, the impact of pilot policies on the number of urban green invention patent application lags by approximately 2 years, whereas the impact on the number of patent applications regarding green utility models exhibit a longer lag time. Mediating mechanism analysis reveals that the pilot policy can promote eco-innovation by promoting the agglomeration of innovation factors, including investment and human capital. This paper confirms the eco-innovation effects of a pilot environmental policy model with Chinese characteristics, with significant theoretical implications. The conclusion also offers practical advice to other countries on how to implement progressive environmental governance reforms. • The eco-innovation effect of pilot environmental policy with Chinese characteristics is investigated. • The effect of experience accumulation exists in different period policies. • There is a time lag in the effect of pilot environmental policy. • Factors agglomeration plays a mediating role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Taking dioxin emissions from incineration and the recycling of home electric appliances in Japan as two case studies, this paper aims to clarify the impact of environmental policy on technological innovation. For our case studies, relevant Japanese patent data were gathered and analyzed for the period 1990–2008. To demonstrate that environmental regulations induce technology innovation, we conducted statistical analysis to compare the number of patents related to each regulation between the period under regulation and period outside the regulation. The results show that after the regulations were introduced, new technological developments occurred for most technological types and the total number of related patent applications was larger even when controlling for other exogenous and endogenous factors such as business cycles and expenditures in Research and Development (R&D). We finally argue that while a possible weakness in these types of direct regulations is the lack of incentives for further innovations, they can still induce innovation if they are flexible and with specific targets. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There appears to be increasing policy emphasis globally on developing innovative technologies and promoting incentives to support the take-up of alternative fuels and vehicles (AFVs) among consumers. The primary reason for this is that they potentially offer a pathway to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution in the transport sector, without the need for contentious transport demand management measures such as road pricing or restrictive land use planning. However, despite the fact that AFVs are often seen as a panacea by policy-makers, there are a number of barriers to their widespread market penetration and diffusion. The objective of this paper is to present a framework, which can be modified and used by policy-makers to identify and qualitatively evaluate these barriers as well as potential policies that might be implemented to address these barriers. The paper concludes by assessing the strengths and weaknesses of applying this framework. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The EMAS Regulation (Reg 761/01 EC) is EU scheme implemented by the European Commission since 1993 and it is for the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) by any organization. The EMS was originally proposed by the European Commission and by the ISO as the frontrunner of a series of policy tools that enable companies to simultaneously pursue environmental objectives and competitive targets in a synergetic way. Based on the unique dataset of the EVER project, this paper investigates whether or not an EMS implemented within the EMAS Regulation has any effect on firm performance both from an environmental and a competitive point of view. Our econometric analysis shows the positive impact of a well-designed environmental management system on environmental performance and, as a consequence, on technical and organizational innovations. Effects on other competitive variables such as market performance, resource productivity and intangible assets are not strongly supported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

How to rely on market mechanism for achieving industrial sustainable development is an important issue both to current scholars and policymakers. Technological innovation is regarded as a mediator to construct a driving mechanism that flexible environmental policy affects sustainable development from the "narrow" perspective of Porter's hypothesis. Meanwhile, environment regulatory enforcement is introduced as a moderator to explore the institutional scenario that drives sustainable development of China's industry. Then we have adopted industrial panel data of 30 provinces in 2006–2015 and employed the sys-GMM method for empirical test. The findings show that: (1) flexible environmental policy can significantly facilitate industrial sustainable development. (2) Flexible environmental policy has a significantly positive impact on technological innovation. Meanwhile, technological innovation is significantly and positively related to industrial sustainable development, and technological innovation partially mediates the relationship between flexible environmental policy and industrial sustainable development. (3) Environment regulatory enforcement positively moderates the relationship between flexible environmental policy and technological innovation. However, it has a potentially positive but not significant moderating impact on the relationship between technological innovation and industrial sustainable development, indicating that there is still an "implementation gap". (4) From a regional point of view, technological innovation has partly mediating effects between flexible environmental policy and industrial sustainable development in the eastern and western regions, and environmental regulatory enforcement can positively moderate the role of flexible environmental policy in promoting technological innovation in the eastern region. Finally, this paper puts forward the policy implications. • Flexible environmental policy can significantly spur industrial sustainable development. • Technological innovation can significantly spur industrial sustainable development. • Technological innovation partly mediates the relationship between flexible environmental policy and industrial sustainable development. • Environment regulatory enforcement plays a positive moderating role between flexible environmental policy and technological innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]