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Considering the highlighted significance of understanding why and how companies integrate environmental sustainability into innovation process, it is important to question: How has the business literature researched ‘eco-innovation’ related to the drivers that boost companies' adoption? What are the drivers and motivation for companies' adoption of eco-innovation? How could results from the literature help define a conceptual framework of eco-innovation drivers and motivations? To address these questions, a systematic review was conducted. After defining inclusion and exclusion search criteria, the search of peer reviewed papers from the ISI Web of Knowledge database was systematically applied. The final database included 96 full papers, of which 35 matched the specific target of analysis that focused at: i) Eco-innovation concepts and approaches; ii) Methods and main findings; and iii) Drivers and motivation for adoption of eco-innovation. Results indicated that there is a growing interest in this concept, not only from a managerial but also from an academic perspective (54% of papers were published after 2010). Various methods are used in the selected papers, and evidence shows that leading firms are protagonists in developing new technologies. Although specific or one-off actions was enough to recognize eco-innovation in some cases, to boost performance companies need to improve the focus in eco-innovation as an explicit goal of their strategies. This paper contributes by pointing out internal factors that companies can manage in order to fully adopt eco-innovation, going beyond mere compliance of external factors over which companies have little or no control. Based on the systematic review, this article draws propositions and develops a conceptual model for further empirical research on eco-innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper argues that corporate environmental management should be based on significant environmental aspects that result in significant environmental impacts. The Finnish forest industry has substantially reduced its emissions but, being heavy industry, it still causes significant environmental impacts. This paper presents expert views on environmental impacts and their measurement. They were gathered through semi-structured theme interviews. The most frequently mentioned environmental impacts and significant environmental impacts related to water, energy and air. Positive environmental impacts resulted from recycling, forest industry products and use of energy. Traditional emission measurement was considered a well-measured issue. The target subjects of the measurement and especially environmental impact measurement require improvement. The contribution of this research is concerned with the development of measurement and two issues arising from the research are emphasised. First, environmental impact measurement should be further developed. Second, the measurement of the production chain that is physically outside the boundaries of forest industry mills should also be developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Second Life is a virtual, open-access, and user-generated environment that has served as a platform for hosting everything from rock concerts to scientific conferences. Many institutions have also used Second Life as an educational tool, for example by, showcasing scientific exhibits or embedding video and images for learning purposes. Here we discuss the creation and use of an interactive, virtual industrial facility – the Elihu Paper Company – as a way to complement a traditional facility tours in a course in industrial environmental management. Virtual facilities offer a number of educational advantages over real-life ones: they are always open and available for tours, they can be accessed instantaneously from anywhere where there is an adequate internet connection, and most importantly, tours and embedded information can be tailored to specific educational objectives. Our experience in using Elihu Paper as a formal facility visit for the past several years shows that students had significantly more time than usual to ask questions, could and did explore the facility independently, and were still able to produce facility reports that fulfilled the educational objectives of the visits, including mapping material flows and explaining pollution prevention and sustainability opportunities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: During the last decade, Sustainability Reporting (SR) has been increasingly adopted by corporations worldwide. This is evidenced by the adoption of several guidelines, such as the ISO 14000 series, the Social Accountability 8000 standard, and the GRI Sustainability Guidelines. SR shows promise to help corporate leaders and their employees to contribute towards achieving sustainable societies. However, most of the guidelines and standards address sustainability issues through comparmentalisation, thereby, leading to the separation of the economic, environmental, and social dimensions. Due to these divisive approaches, holistic assessments of the effects of their efforts are seldom properly integrated into coporate decisions and procedures to make improvements for example through Cleaner Production, Worker Health and Safety, Consumer Safety, and reductions in the negative short and long-term Social and Environmental Impacts. This paper analyses SR reports from three companies with the help of Grounded Theory''s constant comparative analysis. This analytical framework helped the authors to systematically assess the degree to which the companies addressed economic, ecological and social issues separately or in an integrated and inter-linked manner. From the inter-linkages found, a new category is proposed to be added to future SR. This new category can help corporate SR planners and researchers on sustainability reports to better understand how the company leaders understand their responsibilities with regard to SD. These inter-connectednesses are highly relevant in many short and long-term dimensions of supply chain management, global warming, ecological disruption and societal equity issues, especially with regard to the local, national and global energy issues of fuels and oils, the central themes of the conference at which this paper was originally presented. It also plays a key role in real, long-term changes towards Sustainability, where the time dimension plays a key role in human survival on Planet Earth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract To extend the Porter hypothesis, this study defines environmental regulation in terms of two dimensions (i.e., industry and region) and explores their roles in R&D investment and innovation performance. We focus on how environmental regulation affects firms' innovation performance directly and whether it promotes or impairs the relationship between R&D investment and innovation performance. Based on a quantitative analysis of panel data from Chinese technology-intensive manufacturers, the results show that, first, R&D investment has a direct positive effect on firms' innovation performance. Second, industrial regulation negatively affects innovation performance, while regional regulation facilitates innovation performance. Third, regional regulation plays a negative moderating role between R&D investment and innovation performance; however, the industrial regulation's moderating effect is positive. This paper provides guidance for corporate innovation under mandatory environmental regulations. Future research may consider introducing voluntary environmental regulations into the theoretical framework. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • We divide the mandatory environmental regulations into industrial regulations and regional regulations. • Direct effect of the two types of mandatory environmental regulations on innovation performance are analyzed. • We further explore the moderating effect of the two types of regulations. • The effect of the two environmental regulations is opposite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The objective of this paper is to discuss the mapping methodology implemented in the selection of BAT candidates and to present the results of the mapping of B&H food and beverage sector, prepared as a baseline for the development of national reference documents on Best Available Techniques. The subsectors subject to analysis were: dairy, fish farming, fish processing, fruit and vegetable processing, meat processing, breweries, and slaughterhouses. The sector was mapped from several aspects, including socio-economic, legal, and environmental point of view. The socio-economic aspect focused on understanding the sector’s structure and financial capabilities, pricing for water, energy, and solid waste consumption, as well as employee profiles, in order to better assess the sustainability of decisions taken. Legal mapping focused on relevant regulations, including policies from the following sectors: environment, water use and protection, food safety, agriculture, and veterinary, in order to determine legal requirements from an environmental protection aspect set in the various sector policies. Environmental performance indicators were calculated in order to assess present resource efficiencies and relevant environmental impacts. In addition, the mapping process also addressed the existing level of BAT implementation in the subsectors under consideration. The paper presents a rationale for methodology selection, offers a review of the mapping methodology used, discusses mapping results and provides conclusions in regards to that methodology used and discusses issues that need to be considered in the selection of BAT candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an intertemporal optimization model that is designed to analyze climate policy scenarios within a globalized world which is characterized by the existence of technological spillovers. We consider a type of technological spillovers that is bound to bilateral capital trade. Importing foreign capital that increases the efficiency of energy use represents a mitigation option that extends the commonly modeled portfolio. The technical details of the model are presented in this paper. The model is solved numerically. First model applications highlight the differences between climate policy analyses which either take or do not take technological spillovers into account. In the final part, we apply the model to investigate first-mover advantages and commitment incentives in climate policy scenarios. The existence of both is supported by simulation results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The construction industry, as an economically strategic sector and a large contributor to pollution generation, is expected to face enormous obstacles if it doesn''t respond to the new business and regulatory environmental requirements in an increasingly competitive market after international trade liberization. A practical tool to achieve sustainable construction is through adopting Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Movement towards environmental management systems is getting momentum in the construction industry of most developed countries. However this field is still a relatively new and the concept is still marginalized in most of the developing world. It is suggested that lack of awareness is a major contributor to this lag. This paper reports on the results of a research on the environmental awareness of the top 50 contractors in Egypt. It investigates their ISO 14001/EMS awareness, opinions about contractor''s responsibility towards the environment, necessity of ISO 14001, and obstacles and potentials for ISO 14001 adoption. These results will pave the way for effective implementation of EMS by contractors in Egypt. The paper also discusses integrating sustainable construction principals with EMS. This integration should result in environmental, social, as well as economical benefits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This special issue of the Journal of Cleaner Production was initiated as a result of the 5th and 6th meetings of the Asia Pacific Roundtable for Sustainable Consumption and Production (APRSCP), which were held in Melbourne, Australia and Hanoi, Vietnam, respectively. A need identified at those meetings was to create another means of communicating the best ideas and papers being presented, to a wider audience. The Asia Pacific region has special development needs given its rapid emergence as a global production hub, but coupled to that are also the rapid social adjustments and shifts in patterns of consumption and production which aren''t positive for the environment. This special issue contains eight papers covering the implementation of cleaner production and life cycle principles at the systems and regional planning level. These articles cover urban development, corporate CP programs, supply chain management, eco-industrial networks, and industrial parks, recycling, and understanding the role of human factors in bringing about environmental change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper attempts to provide a review of the current state of the art of how e-business/ICT affects the environment. The work reviewed is in various forms including journal papers and thesis which have been peer-reviewed, as well as other resources such as projects and project reports, conference and symposia, and websites. It is claimed that the research examined has captured the most important work to date, either for a general knowledge of this new area or for background study by experts carrying out future research. The review has found that the currently dominant approach is either a micro-level case study approach or a macro-level statistical approach. It is concluded that a more predictive and empirical model, which can be applied within a sector of society, should be more beneficial in the long term. This approach should help simulate potential impacts resulting from changes of indicators, so that positive effects can be promoted and negative ones alleviated proactively, rather than knowing and accepting outcomes passively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Strategy that targets pollution prevention shall be the first one among sustainability strategies to be implemented to achieve early cost advantages and mitigate litigation risk. This article aims to isolate pollution prevention strategy (PPS) from other similar sustainability strategies and provides an independent scope of PPS. A questionnaire based survey was conducted among 689 managers of 60 Indian firms known for their orientation towards sustainability. Factorial analysis delivered five factors highlighting the composition of associated variables. Descriptive statistics was used to understand the relative importance of various aspects of PPS and status of implementation of this strategy in Indian firms. The results show that firms are paying higher attention to structured waste management and the priority is early cost advantages hence prefer less investment prone processes modifications. The initiatives are geared mainly due to short term advantages than top management commitment and pro-activeness to comply with environmental regulations. Firms believe in developing expertise and deploying standard practices. It is evident that firms specifically train employees for PPS implantation, but lags in empowerment of employees, resources allocation, cross-functional team formations and rewards for the employees. Also, PPS strategy is implemented as stand-alone strategy and lacks the integration with core corporate strategy. The study adds to existing literature by segregating PPS from other similar strategies like product stewardship and cleaner technology. Tested measure of PPS shall help managers to assess their performance to achieve pollution prevention goals. Further, the paper discusses some important managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a state-of-the-art method for conducting environmental assessments of systems, whether these consist of goods or services, or a combination of the two. However, current LCA guidelines focus on assessing tangible products and lack specific attention to more complex systems, such as Product/Service-Systems (PSS), which also consist of intangible elements. PSS imply a shift in business paradigm from selling specific products to delivering a function, through a mix of products and services, thereby incentivising resource efficiency as well as user satisfaction. Despite their potential to reduce environmental impacts, PSS are not by default more environmentally benign compared to conventional systems, and quantifications of their environmental performance are called for. This paper contributes by showing that specific challenges need to be addressed when using LCA to evaluate the environmental performance of PSS. We identify a set of PSS characteristics that can challenge an LCA study. Three relevant scopes are distinguished, where LCA may be applied: (1) evaluating options within the PSS itself; (2) comparing a PSS with an alternative; and (3) modelling the actual contextual changes caused by the PSS. We derive three pronounced challenges when conducting LCA within the three scopes: (i) identifying and defining the reference system; (ii) defining the functional unit; and (iii) setting system boundaries. We elaborate on how these challenges are discussed in current literature. Recommended future work includes developing adapted guidelines and further empirical case studies that quantify the environmental changes and impacts caused by introducing PSS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive review of the first phase of the Korean National Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) Development Program from 2005 to 2010. The main objectives of this review are to introduce how Korea established its own approach to nationwide eco-industrial development and to examine the program's successes and limiting factors to draw lessons about how industrial symbiosis can be developed successfully elsewhere. The Korean EIP program emerged from a context of 50 years of industrial development to transform traditional industrial structures into EIPs using cleaner production at the industrial park level. During the first five years, regional EIP centers established at five pilot sites developed and implemented 47 resource-sharing projects, which generated considerable economic and environmental benefits. This was possible due to an institutional system that effectively combined top-down and bottom-up approaches and to the mediating role of regional EIP centers, which bring together local stakeholders from businesses, governments, and research organizations. By learning during the first phase, Korea has established its own model for eco-industrial development that will continue to develop during the second and third phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper investigates the challenges and opportunities of how firms and organizations can and will be able to strike a better balance between economic growth and environmental stewardship in the context of China’s emerging ‘circular economy’ policy paradigm and based on ecological modernization theoretic approaches. Based on three company case studies in the information technology and electronic industries in China, we identify and demonstrate how a blended business and environmental value can be created from adopting a sustainable supply chain management approach. The adoption of a sustainable supply chain management approach is rapidly becoming a key business challenge and opportunity in China and other large emerging economies around the world, where our greatest environmental management challenges currently reside and will continue to exist for many years to come. The value creation framework proposed in research focuses on evaluating three case study companies who appear in various stages of an electronic industry supply chain. Value creation within a supply chain can provide the impetus for organizations to adopt circular economy, sustainable supply chain practices, for competitive reasons. In addition, we describe how a value proposition can be evaluated at two levels of analysis, a more specific micro-level and a more general meso-level of analysis. The four major business value dimensions include cost reduction, revenue generation, resiliency, and legitimacy and image. The initial findings are that a variety of opportunities exist for electronic firms in emerging and developing countries, while results from this study provide an important scholarly foundation to develop and refine sustainable supply chain management practices in emerging and developing economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Nowadays design is faced with the challenge to contribute to the transition towards a sustainable society. Design for Sustainability (DfS) is the response to this challenge. It includes but goes beyond what Design for the Environment or ecodesign provides, by integrating social, economic, environmental and institutional aspects and by offering opportunities to get involved, express one’s own identity beyond consuming standardised mass products. DEEDS, a Leonardo research project, had the mission to embed sustainability in design and design in sustainability. For this behalf, the project partners approached the issue from the angles of design, sustainability science and sustainable consumption analysis, developing tools and rules (the SCALES principles) to support DfS and to incorporate it into design education and practice. The paper describes the framework conditions as explored by sustainable consumption research, the obstacles identified by DEEDS and gives hints how to overcome them based in the lessons learnt in the course of the project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: With the increasing environmental issues, now cleaner production has been implemented across all the regions of China. During this process, regional governments have played a leading role for promoting cleaner production. Main measures include coordinating the various stakeholders, providing financial support, stipulating appropriate policies and conducting capacity building programs. Such an innovative initiative is quite unique and should be further studied. This paper reflects such a perspective through a case study of Liaoning province. We first introduce the main initiatives for the promotion of cleaner production in Liaoning and then identify the key barriers. Our focus is to provide suggestions for future improvements. Finally we make our conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In recent years, many electronic manufacturing firms have looked upon Cleaner Production (CP) as the means by which they could maintain environmental practice and competitive advantages. CP has been adopted by companies as an important factor in enhancing industrial productivity. Sustainable projects that deal appropriately with environmental and social factors are also more likely to be the most profitable. This paper investigated the criteria and attributes that determine a successful adoption and implementation of CP in reference to PWB manufacture in Taiwan. Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) methodology is used to discuss the different decision criteria that include Organizing, Systems and Technologies, Measurement and Feedback, Working environment and Worker''s Culture which are all vital factors in an effective CP implementation. AHP is an efficient tool in controlling the fuzziness of the data involved in choosing the most preferred decision variables. The linguistic level of comparisons produced by the manufacturers and experts are tapped and constructed in a form of triangular fuzzy numbers in order to construct fuzzy pairwise comparison matrices. The implementation of the system is demonstrated by a problem involving three stages of hierarchy which contains different criteria and attributes at a wider perspective within an environmental uncertainty. The findings advocate that these enterprises would need to setup the priorities of the CP implementation. The results suggest a generic hierarchical model of organizations of which the highest level is to be prioritized among the CP implementation factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Attributing costs to the environmental impacts associated with industrial activities can greatly assist in protecting human health and the natural environment as monetary values are capable of directly influencing technological and policy decisions without changing the rules of the market. This paper attempts to estimate the external cost attributable to the atmospheric pollution from ‘medium and high environmental burden’ industrial activities located in the greater Athens area and the benefits from Best Available Techniques (BAT) introduction. To this end a number of typical installations were defined to be used in conjunction with the Impact Pathway Approach developed in the context of the ExternE project to model all industrial sectors/sub-sectors located in the area of interest. Total environmental externalities due to air pollutants emitted by these industrial activities were found to reach 211 M€ per year, associated mainly with human mortality and morbidity due to PM10 emissions, as well as with climate change impacts due to CO2 emissions for which non-metallic minerals and oil processing industries are the main sources. The results obtained can be used as the basis for an integrated evaluation of potential BAT, taking into account not only private costs and benefits but also the environmental externalities, thus leading to policy decisions that maximize social welfare in each industrial sector/sub-sector. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The evaluation and communication of the significance of environmental effects remains a critical yet poorly understood component of EIA theory and practice. Following a conceptual overview of the generic dimensions of impact significance in EIA, this paper reports upon the findings of an empirical study of recent environmental impact statements that considers the treatment of significance for impacts concerning landscape (‘see no evil’) and noise (‘hear no evil’), focussing specifically upon the evaluation and communication of impact significance (‘speak no evil’) in UK practice. Particular attention is given to the use of significance criteria and thresholds, including the development of a typology of approaches applied within the context of noise and landscape/visual impacts. Following a broader discussion of issues surrounding the formulation, application and interpretation of significance criteria, conclusions and recommendations relevant to wider EIA practice are suggested. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been extensively used as flame retardants in consumer goods. Sufficient evidence shows that PBDEs have been rapidly accumulating in the environment worldwide. In Asia, deca-bromodiphenyl ether has been produced and used in large quantities, while penta-BDE has largely ceased in the mid-1990s. This paper summarizes and critically reviews the status of PBDE pollution in East Asia, with emphases on the comparisons with Europe and North America and the interpretation of the differences. In general, the concentrations of PBDEs in atmosphere, sludge, human and biological samples of East Asia are comparable to or lower than those in Europe and North America. However, in the sediments of waters near densely populated and heavily industrialized areas, PBDE levels are among the highest ever reported in the literature. In Japan and China, concentrations of PBDEs in sediment cores showed an increasing trend for the past 20–30 years. Also, PBDEs levels in human breast milk in Japan increased about 10-fold in the past 20 years. The presence of PBDEs in fur seal has increased about 150-fold in 1994 than that in 1972. Regional and inter-continental transport cannot be confirmed due to insufficient information. However, the detection of a number of PBDE congeners in a pristine lake on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau may be an evidence of their long-range transport. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]