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Environmental deterioration is a substantial hazard to sustainable development. To add new dimensions to the discussion. This study aims to consider the impact of patents on environmental technology and environmental degradation in Iceland, along with other indicators, such as economic growth, primary energy consumption (PEC) and trade openness. This effect has not been comprehensively examined in the case of Iceland's economy. To this end, the study adopted novel econometric Fourier‐based estimators. The Fourier‐augmented Dickey–Fuller (F‐ADF) unit root tests, Fourier‐autoregressive distributive lag (F‐ARDL) cointegration test, F‐ARDL for long run estimation, and the Fourier‐Toda and Yamamoto (Fourier TY) causality test to determine the impact of explanatory and control indicators on production‐based CO2 emissions for the period 1995Q1 to 2019Q4. The findings revealed the impact of environmental technology and trade openness is negative and mitigates production‐based CO2 emissions and increases environmental sustainability in Iceland. In contrast, economic growth and PEC were found to have harmful and positive influences on production‐based CO2 emissions and increases environmental deterioration in the region. In addition, the Fourier TY causality test suggests unidirectional causality between these indicators in Iceland and the outcome further confirms that environmental technology and trade openness are vital for decreasing production‐based CO2 emissions in Iceland. Thus, the study findings benefit policymakers in adopting green innovation activities that increase sustainable energy resources and minimize the detrimental effects of a boost in economic activities in Iceland for sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sustainability has become a global concern to deal with complex and unprecedent survival, social, political and peace issues. Higher education institutions play a key role in this transformation. This paper aims to conduct a comparative analysis by continents of innovation and sustainability barriers in universities. The document also offers opportunities and potential actions for universities to create initiatives to minimize barriers and move towards a sustainable future. Design/methodology/approach: To carry out the study, 25 closed questions, composed of a five-point Likert scale, were applied to 283 university representatives (rectors, managers or specialists in the area of innovation and sustainability), to check the degree of application of the questionnaire. Findings: From an exploratory statistical analysis, it was found that the main barriers were lacking of planning and focus, lacking of environmental committee, lacking of applicability and continuity of actions and resistance to changes. Among continents, Africa and Oceania presented the best innovation and sustainability indicators in universities. The main approach of this exploratory study on barriers in universities is as an international research, whose findings showed that several barriers currently prevent universities from getting involved in sustainable development efforts. However, as we debate sustainable development, which is gaining momentum, universities are supposed to move forward to overcome barriers for the sake of implementing goals and initiatives. In addition, universities must seize opportunities to contribute through innovation in teaching, research and initiatives to achieve the 17 sustainable development goals. Research limitations/implications: This study has two main limitations: first, online research has involved professionals working in the field of sustainable development in higher education. Second, there were no interviews conducted to gather personal information with students and servers. However, the broad scope of the study and its strong international base provide important results that enable the design of an adequate profile of sustainability and innovation challenges that are currently found in universities. Practical implications: The study showed that there is lack of knowledge management to connect science, technology, innovation and sustainability, to improve management conditions, innovate, make decisions, support initiatives, create incentives and control mechanisms. Trends suggest that future professional activities involve skills in dealing with complex problems, sometimes in careers and jobs yet to be created. Traditional teaching methods are generally only prepared for routine tasks and for existing jobs, thus requiring the creation of new approaches capable of stimulating creativity and autonomy, which are essential for the present and future demands of innovation and sustainability. Social implications: The exploratory study on barriers in universities brings international research as main approach, which made it possible to check that several barriers currently prevent universities from getting involved in sustainable development efforts. However, as we debate sustainable development, which is gaining momentum, it is important that universities should move forward to overcome the barriers to implementation of goals and initiatives. In addition, universities should take advantage of opportunities to contribute through innovation in teaching, research and action to achieve the 17 sustainable development goals. Originality/value: Developed countries are leaders in promoting sustainability, while developing or underdeveloped countries are laggards. In this approach, the study sought to verify the differences through a comparative analysis across continents. As for originality and innovation, this paper presents an international study in the view of specialists who respond based on the experience of their university. [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]

Technology transfer and innovation are considered major drivers of sustainable development; they place knowledge and its dissemination in society at the heart of the development process. This article considers the role of research universities, and how they can interact with key actors and institutions involved in ‘innovation ecosystems’. Considering various approaches of innovation and institutional analysis design (IAD), it proposes an institutional model of innovation where different authorities produce rules and knowledge that can be mobilized and/or changed in their respective action arenas. On this conceptual basis, one initiative is described: integrated poles of excellence (IPEs) for renewable energy in West Africa, which were conceptualized as a resource and knowledge centre connected to project implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este estudo trata do processo de transferência de tecnologia da universidade para a sociedade, embasada em fatores de sustentabilidade, com vistas ao desenvolvimento regional sustentável. Como aplicação deste estudo, foi realizada uma análise do projeto permanente de extensão "Apiários Rio de Mel", que consiste em uma iniciativa inovadora de intervenção social, por meio da introdução e valorização da cultura apícola junto às unidades de agricultura familiar da região Centro-Sul do Paraná, desenvolvido por um processo de transferência tecnológica, caracterizado pela cooperação entre a universidade, os agricultores e o governo do estado do Paraná. A metodologia é caracterizada como uma pesquisa descritiva e exploratória, por meio da abordagem qualitativa e da estratégia de estudo de caso. Os resultados apresentam indícios de que o processo adotado, por meio de uma rede de fomento, compreende uma realidade efetiva de intervenção social e de transferência de tecnologia sustentável, baseada no desenvolvimento econômico, preservação ambiental e promoção social. This study treat the process of technology transfer from university to society, based on factors of sustainability, aimed at sustainable regional development. As an application of this study, an analysis was made permanent extension of the project "Apiários Rio de Mel", which consists of an innovative social intervention, through the introduction and enhancement of culture along the beekeeping units of family farming in the central-South of Paraná, developed by a technology transfer process, characterized by cooperation between the university, farmers and the state government of Parana. The methodology is characterized as a descriptive and exploratory research, using qualitative approach and strategy case study. The results provide evidence that the process adopted, through a foment network, comprising an effective reality of social intervention and transfer of sustainable technology, based on economic development, environmental preservation and social advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Africa is predicted to be the region most affected by climate change and water is one of the sectors with anticipated severe impacts. Innovations in this sector are being promoted as part of the adaptation solutions to this problem. In this paper, we use available data on water-related climate change adaptation technological developments to examine the degree to which the vulnerability to climate change in the water sector is motivating these innovations. Using pooled data for African countries between 1990 and 2016, we estimate the relationship between climate-induced vulnerability in the water sector and water-related innovations, controlling for country size and proxies for technology transfer environment, institutional and regulatory quality, knowledge base, and research and development activity. Data on innovative activity shows evidence of over-dispersion; thus we use the negative binomial distribution with robust standard errors for estimation of our model. We find evidence that countries most exposed to water stress are innovating at lower rates. Though counterintuitive, this result is explained by the fact that such vulnerable countries also tend to have little research and development infrastructure needed to develop the kind of high quality innovations that usually necessitate patenting. Our result suggests that African countries experiencing water stress may need to reconsider priorities in the design of water-related adaptation to climate change. We also find that a country's knowledge base and openness to trade are important determinants of adaptation technologies in the water sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest in the rapid growth of CO2 emissions, together with the economic performance of various countries continues to attract researchers and practitioners' interest. Alongside, concerns regarding global warming and its effects on human and animal health, and thus sustainable development, escalate. The present study employs the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag to identify short- and long-run dynamics and the asymmetric nexus between absorptive capacity, and CO2 emissions intensity from 1970 to 2018 in the case of the USA and China. In the short-run, an increase in technology transfer based on human resources increases CO2 emissions in China. Contrarily, the decrease in technology transfer based on infrastructure has an emissions-decreasing effect in China. In the long-run, the effects of an increase in absorptive capacity based on innovation and infrastructure developments provide positive and significant impetus to mitigate the carbon intensity in China and the USA. The results are robust using GHG intensity. Thus, policymakers and researchers have to consider the pivotal role of absorptive capacity in facilitating sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]