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Abstract The study investigates the moderating effect of board gender diversity on the relationship between environmental performance indicators (emissions, innovations, and resources) and financial performance. The study adopts a robust research design, drawing on a diverse sample of 6,104 companies operating in various countries. It employs a sophisticated panel data analysis with a fixed-effect model. The findings indicate a significant effect of environmental performance on financial performance. The results also reveal that higher gender diversity on a board is linked to lower returns on assets (ROA). Moreover, there is a positive interaction between management teams, board gender diversity, and financial performance. This study explores the relationship between corporate governance, environmental performance, and financial outcomes, offering practical insights for businesses, policymakers, and stakeholders. It also provides actionable insights for companies to align sustainability practices with financial success, enhancing their environmental stewardship and potentially improving financial performance. Policymakers can use this knowledge to design regulations and guidelines, while stakeholders, including investors and environmental advocacy groups, can use it to make informed decisions. The study's originality lies in its exploration of the moderating impact of board diversity on the relationship between firms' environmental performance and financial performance, using a large sample from different countries. As there is still a lack of consensus on the effect of environmental performance on financial performance, this study contributes to the understanding of corporate governance, environmental responsibility, and financial performance.

The study investigates the moderating effect of board gender diversity on the relationship between environmental performance indicators (emissions, innovations, and resources) and financial performance. The study adopts a robust research design, drawing on a diverse sample of 6,104 companies operating in various countries. It employs a sophisticated panel data analysis with a fixed-effect model. The findings indicate a significant effect of environmental performance on financial performance. The results also reveal that higher gender diversity on a board is linked to lower returns on assets (ROA). Moreover, there is a positive interaction between management teams, board gender diversity, and financial performance. This study explores the relationship between corporate governance, environmental performance, and financial outcomes, offering practical insights for businesses, policymakers, and stakeholders. It also provides actionable insights for companies to align sustainability practices with financial success, enhancing their environmental stewardship and potentially improving financial performance. Policymakers can use this knowledge to design regulations and guidelines, while stakeholders, including investors and environmental advocacy groups, can use it to make informed decisions. The study's originality lies in its exploration of the moderating impact of board diversity on the relationship between firms' environmental performance and financial performance, using a large sample from different countries. As there is still a lack of consensus on the effect of environmental performance on financial performance, this study contributes to the understanding of corporate governance, environmental responsibility, and financial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of environmental challenges and sustainable development, modern firms strive for competitive advantage through environmental innovations (EIs), yet the impact of EIs on firms' performance remains a controversial topic in the scholarly discourse. While some authors highlight a positive influence, numerous studies reveal ambivalence or even negative effects on firms' financial performance. This inconsistency highlights the insufficient exploration of various aspects of the financial implications of EIs. Recognizing the moderating role of firms' size dynamics, often overlooked in existing studies, this research investigates how the changing size of firms influences the relationship between EIs and financial performance. Analyzing data from 1136 European and North American firms over the period 2012–2019, with and without green patents, the study reveals distinct correlation results between environmental innovations (EIs) and financial performance in a specific industry, differing in both the short and long run. Firms experiencing greater growth compared to industry growth tend to implement more EIs compared to their counterparts. Growing firms with EIs show superior long-term financial performance but experience poorer short-term financial results compared to their counterparts without EIs. Notably, as green firms age, the influence of firms' size dynamics on the EI–financial performance relationship diminishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the pivotal role of environmental innovations in driving sustainability practices within medium and large manufacturing firms operating in Uganda. Design/methodology/approach – Using a cross-sectional and quantitative methodology, data were collected through a questionnaire survey involving 208 manufacturing companies. The smart partial least squares path modelling technique was used for the analysis. Findings – The analysis unveils significant and positive associations. Specifically, product innovation exhibits a robust and affirmative relationship with sustainability practices. Similarly, the correlation between process innovation and sustainability practices emerges as statistically significant. Moreover, the findings underscore the noteworthy and constructive predictive influence of environmental innovation on sustainability practices. Practical implications – These empirical results present substantial implications for theoretical frameworks and practical applications. From a policy perspective, the findings emphasise the importance of incentivising eco product and eco process innovations as potential drivers of eco-friendly practices. On the managerial front, strategic resource allocation and the adoption of integrated environmental innovation strategies are advocated, with the ultimate goal of enhancing sustainable business approaches within Uganda’s manufacturing subsector. Originality/value – To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study represents the inaugural attempt to investigate the role of environmental innovations in elucidating sustainability practices within a least developed country. Notably, while all dimensions demonstrate significance, it is noteworthy that product innovation emerges as the more substantial contributor to the promotion of sustainability practices.

The pandemic has created additional risks for achieving the socio-economic and environmental goals of sustainable development, has largely transformed consumer behavior and created prerequisites for an environmental agenda revision. The purpose of the study is to identify trends in sustainable development during the pandemic, to identify the features of their manifestation in Russian regions, as well as to justify the need for further stimulation of responsible consumption and production practices based on the environmental innovations’ potential. The objectives of the article include the research of sustainable development trends in the world and Russia during the pandemic, identification of risks to achieving socio-economic and environmental goals, disclosure of the sustainable development specifics in Russian regions during the pandemic, and the formation of recommendations aimed at achieving the goals of Russian regions’ sustainable development. It is determined that the pandemic period is characterized by a slowdown in economic growth and an increase of social and environmental tension, which creates risks for achieving sustainable development goals. Such trends are global in nature, and affect the Russian regions. The authors consider the vectors of consumer behavior patterns and organizations’ activities transformation during the pandemic, identify the key tasks for ensuring the Russian regions’ sustainable development at the stage of post-crisis recovery.

Environmental non‐governmental organizations (ENGOs), as important civil society organizations in the environmental arena, play a role in promoting firms' environmental behavior. Based on institutional theory, this study constructed a relationship model among environmental ENGOs, environmental regulation, informatization level, and environmental innovation. Using data from 31 provinces in China from 2010 to 2021 as research samples, this study investigated the impact of ENGOs on firms' environmental innovation, as well as the mediating role of environmental regulation and the moderating role of the informatization level. The results showed that ENGOs had a positive effect on firms' environmental innovation, and the informatization level negatively moderated the impact of ENGOs on firms' environmental innovation, but environmental regulation did not play a mediating role in the relationship between ENGOs and firms' environmental innovation. Based on the conclusions, this study suggests leveraging the role of ENGOs, strengthening the power of environmental regulation, and improving the informatization level to drive firms' environmental innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, the rapid development of modern technologies has brought unprecedented social prosperity to mankind as technologies penetrate every sector of the economy. These technologies have given a new dimension to the energy sector. The key purpose of this study is to investigate the crucial impact of technological revolutions, namely, smart grids, smart devices, financial innovations, and environmental innovations, on greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). To this end, the study utilized data from European, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African countries and employed first- and second-generation methods, such as DOLS, FMOLS, and CS-ARDL models. The research shows that smart grids are the only factor in reducing GHGs, regardless of geographic division. Hence, linking smart grid resources to climate change goals requires short-term deployment strategies with a clear long-term vision and the fundamental goal of transforming the power structure into a net zero-emission system. The study also demonstrates that the emergence of ICT in electricity consumption has not yet reached a level that can promote environmental excellence. The study documented the critical role of financial innovation and environmental innovation in addressing environmental degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While independent directors focus on preserving the shareholders' interests, their individual preferences may differ with regard to how environmental innovations have to be considered. A growing importance of shareholders' environmental activism has sought to influence firms' environmental practices through public proposals and private negotiations with executives. Using a sample of 7111 firms listed in the S&P 1500 index between 2006 and 2019, we examine how the visibility of shareholders' environmental proposals moderates the relationship between board independence and environmental innovations. Our findings show that public and private shareholder activism related to community issues and external reporting reinforces the positive influence of independent directors on firms' environmental innovations. However, private dialogues between executives and environmental activists focused on emissions from company operations diminish the influence of independent directors. Our study sheds light on how the external visibility of the topics involved in the activists' environmental proposals reinforces the interest of independent directors in advancing environmental innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to rising economic growth, financial flows have been of particular interest to nations. However, their environmental concerns have been overlooked particularly in developing countries. To aid in filling this gap, an exploration on the link between financial flows and environmental quality in ECOWAS member countries for the period 1990–2017 was undertaken. In achieving the study's goal, second generation econometric methods that account for cross-sectional dependence and slope heterogeneity among others were engaged. From the results, the studied panel was heterogeneous and cross-sectionally correlated. Also, the investigated variables were stationary and cointegrated in the long-run. The dynamic common correlated effects mean group (DCCEMG), augmented mean group (AMG) and the common correlated effects mean group (CCEMG) estimators were employed to examine the elastic effects of the predictors on the explained variable, and from the results, remittances worsened environmental quality in the region. Also, foreign direct investment was detrimental to ecological quality validating the pollution haven hypothesis. Further, economic growth and urbanization were not friendly to environmental quality in the bloc. However, environmental innovations improved the ecosystem of the region. On the causal connections amidst the series, there was feedback causalities between remittances and environmental pollution, between economic growth and ecological deterioration, and between urbanization and environmental degradation. Also, there was a one-way causality from foreign direct investment to ecological pollution, but there was no causality between environmental innovations and ecological pollution. Based on the findings, the study recommended that remittances received by the nations should be invested into research and development, green innovations, energy efficiency and green energy sources to help improve environmental quality in the region. Also, the region's environmental policies should be modified to control the influx of polluting FDIs into the countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental innovations, investments, and expenses have been identified as an efficient and reliable way of addressing ecological issues. Nevertheless, how environmental innovations, investments, and expenses may influence the level of environmental pollution in European nations and whether the outcome may fluctuate among various environmental innovation indicators remain to be inspected. Therefore, this research is designed to empirically scrutinize the influence of environmental innovations, environmental investment, environmental expenditure, research and development (R&D) expenses, and foreign direct investment (FDI) on renewable and non-renewable energy in a sample of 15 European countries during the period from 2005 to 2018. To achieve this, we apply robust panel econometric estimation techniques. After testing the stationary property of the series, the findings of the Pedroni cointegration test disclose the presence of a long-run stable connection among the series. The empirical results from the ARDL, FMOLS and DOLS regression show that the impact of environmental innovations, environmental expenditure, R&D expenses, and FDI help to reduce overall non-renewable energy and promote renewable energy. In contrast, environmental investment significantly increases non-renewable energy and diminishes renewable energy usage. Moreover, the findings of Dumitrescu and Hurlin's tests discover a unidirectional causality running from non-renewables and renewables towards environmental investment, environmental expenditure, and FDI. Additionally, bi-directional causality is found between environmental innovations R&D, with both non-renewable and renewable energy utilization. Furthermore, we summarize by arguing that the efforts toward efficient and sustainable use of energy by reducing the combustion of non-renewable energy sources should support modern and innovative strategies by ensuring the transformation of non-renewables with renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study is presented in this paper that examines the effect of environmental innovation (EI) on environmental performance (EP). Six measures are used to reflect environmental innovation, including the percentage of enterprises that invest in environmental innovation, the percentage of enterprises implementing environmental innovation activities, the number of ISO 14001 certificates, patents related to environmental innovation, the total R&D personnel and researchers, and the amount of green early-stage investments. The estimation results show that EI positively impacts EP in 21 European countries using different econometric techniques during the 2011–2019 period. By using various econometric techniques (namely a panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE) model, a feasible generalized least square estimates (FGLS) model, and the two-step general method of moment (the two-step GMM), our research demonstrates how environmental innovation impacts on environmental quality. The short- and long-term effects of autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) methods were also investigated using pooled mean groups (PMGs) to distinguish the short-run and long-run influences of EI. The relationship between EI and EP is explored by demonstrating how EI affects EP short- and long-term and comparing its influence on EP across many component measures of EI: air quality, sanitation, drinking water, heavy metals, waste management, biodiversity, habitat, ecosystem services, water resources, and agriculture. Notably, we find that the influences of EI become more pronounced in a country characterized by a well-developed institutional system. Our findings suggest policy implications to help countries invest in research and development with concerns about environmental damage mitigations more effectively. These findings are critical to suggest a way to help countries pursue ecological sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The environmental innovation-environmental quality nexus is explored. • Climate change mitigation-related innovations improve environmental quality. • Environmental management-related innovations degrade environmental quality. • Good governance improves environmental conditions across the BRICS. • Good governance imposes moderating and mediating effects on the environment. In the contemporary era of digitalization, innovating technologies is deemed appropriate for promoting socioeconomic development while enhancing environmental welfare in tandem. Hence, considering the paramount importance of technological innovation for restoring the lost environmental well-being, this study aims to check how different environmental innovations, in the presence of good democratic governance, affect environmental quality across the BRICS. Using a novel composite environmental quality index, based on data concerning different carbon emission-related indicators, it is found that environmental innovations impose equivocal (both favorable and unfavorable) repercussions on the environment. Notably, the results endorse that climate change mitigation-related innovations improve environmental conditions while more environmental management-related innovations exert environmental quality-inhibiting impacts. Besides, the results certify that good democratic governance directly enhances environmental quality and indirectly exerts moderating and mediating effects for improving environmental conditions jointly with environmental innovations. Furthermore, influx of foreign direct investment and urbanization are identified as major environmental condition-deteriorating factors for the BRICS. Accordingly, the concerned governments need to emphasize the adoption of relevant policies that can simultaneously stimulate environmental innovations, establish good democratic governance, attract clean foreign direct investment, and make urbanization policies greener so that environmental quality can be effectively improved across the BRICS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the relationship between environmental innovations and firms' financial performance from the perspective of environmental activism intensity. We explore how the number of green patents affects the financial performance of small, medium, and large firms and whether the growing number of green patents positively affects firms' financial performance. We employed a panel data sample of 1136 green innovative and 2395 non-green innovative firms from the USA and Europe and compared their financial results. The results show that small firms benefit financially only in the second year after the first green patent implementation. Medium-sized firms enjoy improved financial performance in the first two years after the implementation of one or two green patents; however, the third green patent does not anyhow improve the financial performance. Large firms gain financial benefits every year after issuing green patents regardless of the patents' quantity. Generally, the increase in financial performance is moderate in the first year, reaches the maximum in the second year, and becomes statistically insignificant in the third year after the last green patent's implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The article refers to a valid and current research area related to business sustainability. The main objective of this article is to identify the relationship between different types of environmental innovations and sustainable outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: For the needs of this article, the researches were conducted in 293 companies operating in Poland. In the course of the research, an additional division of environmental innovations derived from the Oslo Manual classification was taken into account, and the following were distinguished: environmental process innovations, environmental product innovations, environmental organizational innovations, and environmental marketing innovations. In addition, for the analysis of sustainable business performance, it was divided into economic, environmental, and social performance. The relation between the level of types of innovation and organizational outcomes is examined for each of these categories, and three models are presented. Findings: Empirical research confirmed that different types of environmental innovations are essential factors for sustainable outcomes and, as a result, their growth. Research also revealed differences and similarities between different sustainable outcomes and their relationship to innovations of different types. Research limitations/implications: First, although outcomes were measured using subjective indicators consisting of a limited number of items, using objective indicators or collecting data through in-depth interviews would have provided more detailed data. Second, increasing the size of the research sample and expanding the research to include companies operating in other countries (replication of research) would allow for generalization of the results, as the results obtained may be specific to companies operating in Poland. Originality/value: The main value of this article is a broad and holistic view, which made it possible to use the four types of environmental innovations and link them in the model to organizational outcomes and clarify the relationship between them. It seems crucial to take a systemic view of what innovations collectively build the model and to note that organizational innovation appears as an element present in each of the models obtained. Thus, it is an indication that organizational activities should support process, marketing, or product innovations to lead to sustainable results of environmental innovation implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acceleration of globalization, population growth, industrialization and technological developments cause environmental effects as well as economic effects. As environmental problems threaten the future, both national and international measures have begun to emerge. As a result of these measures, the concept of sustainability has emerged. Sustainability means ensuring efficiency in resource distribution in terms of economic, social and environmental aspects for future generations and ensuring that future generations benefit from today's opportunities. It is aimed to achieve growth and sustainable development without causing environmental damage. For this, technological development and innovation tools come to the fore. In this study, the effects of environmental technological innovations, renewable energy consumption and economic growth on environmental pollution are examined with annual data for the period 1990- 2018. While the number of patents related to the environment is taken as an indicator of environmental technological innovations, ecological footprint measurement is used as an indicator of environmental pollution. The concept of ecological footprint, which is one of the most important indicators of environmental damage, measures environmental pollution in a comprehensive way. In this study, in which the empirical analysis method is used, the cointegration relationship between the variables is tested with the ARDL bounds test. As a result of the ARDL bounds test, environmental technological innovations and increases in renewable energy consumption both in the short and long term reduce the ecological footprint; however, it is found that economic growth increases the ecological footprint. In order to increase environmental quality, it is recommended to increase environmental technological innovations and increase renewable energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We contribute to the business strategy and the environment literature by investigating the influence of corporate sustainability initiatives and corporate carbon performance of European listed firms. We use three‐way fixed‐effects model, and our sample comprises of 2444 firm‐year observations from 12 European countries, covering a 16‐year period (2004–2019). First, we find that corporate sustainability initiatives, a composite measure comprising of emission reduction initiatives, environmental innovations and efficient use of resources, has a positive relationship with corporate carbon performance, in terms of reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity. Second, we find that the relationship between corporate sustainability initiatives and corporate carbon performance is stronger for firms in polluting industries. Overall, our evidence lends support for the efficiency‐oriented arguments of the neo‐institutional theory in that organisations respond to climate‐related risks by making substantive engagements in corporate sustainability initiatives, such as emission reduction initiatives, environmental innovations and efficient use of resources, which in turn facilitates organisations' effort to reduce GHG emission and improve corporate carbon performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through an in-depth evaluation of the potential effectiveness of intellectual property protection on environmental technologies, the aim of the present research is to investigate the effect of patents on environmental innovation, energy use, GDP, and trade openness on environmental deregulation in Spain using nonlinear ARDL techniques. Specifically, the study findings indicate that patents on environmental technologies enhance environ-mental sustainability in Spain, as evidenced by the novel results from the nonlinear ARDL. Secondly, our study reveals that Spain's growing economy degrades the quality of the environment. Based on the findings of the study, positive changes in trade openness could have positive effects on Spain's environmental sustainability, suggesting that better productivity, more international trade, and increased economic openness could facilitate an improvement in Spain's environmental impact. Lastly, this study provides evidence demonstrating that Spain's environmental quality could suffer due to excessive energy consumption. In the light of this study's policy recommendations, the policymakers and the Spanish government should encourage collaboration between private and public partnerships on environmental technologies to address global climate change or regional pollution. It is necessary for research and development to contribute to the development of technological progress in the Spanish energy sector; however, promoting patenting should be prioritized. By expanding patent protection, eco-friendly technologies that can combat carbon emissions can be developed swiftly in Spain, which will enable life to be more sustainable by lowering the use of energy and resources. A strong patent protection sys-tem will foster environmentally-friendly technologies and economic development while reducing CO2 emissions in Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research examines the experience of implementing environmental education through libraries in Germany and Ukraine. The urgency and importance of creating “green libraries” are considered. The aim is to study the experience of environmental education through projects implemented by selected libraries. This goal has been achieved by general scientific methods, in particular, by describing the experience of implementing environmental education, analyzing existing projects of “green libraries”, generalizing the activity of eco-libraries successfully implemented in Ukraine and Germany. Project activities in the field of environmental education, FaBio book collections (Mainheim, Germany) and EcoLibrary (Lviv, Ukraine) are considered in detail. Prospects of ecological education as well as book collections are outlined.

The paper considers the key aspects of risk management in relation to the technological integration of economic entities. It is emphasized that the deepening of the technological chain includes the integration of resources of related production facilities and is undergoing changes in the context of accelerated digitalization, environmental transformation of the world economy. In this regard, the risk management system, which includes strategic mapping, systematization and risk assessment, as well as management control over financial, economic, scientific and technological types of risk, is of great importance. The authors highlight the trends of technological transformation of the global energy complex, which determine the promising directions of technological integration of the oil and gas sector for the development of carbon-neutral energy. As a positive vector, the development and implementation of innovations that improve environmental safety, as well as new technologies for the production of pure hydrogen from natural gas and recycling processes are shown. The conducted research allowed us to identify the scientific and institutional prerequisites for managing the risks of technological integration and to link them with risk management tools

Opportunistic behaviors are considered ethically and strategically troublesome since they disrupt otherwise mutually beneficial relationships. Previous literature has shown that firms attempt to protect their investments from opportunism by generating a large amount of patented marginal innovations in domains central to their industry. However, this approach may generate some ethical dilemmas by preventing firms and societies from more radical, collaborative, and much-needed environmental progress. We extend the environmental innovation literature using strategic and ethical lenses to analyze the potential of an alternative, divergent way to provide financial opportunities for a focal firm without aiming to prevent innovative opportunities for competitors. Our longitudinal analysis of 6768 environmental patents from 59 large companies worldwide in the electrical components and equipment industry shows that high levels of innovation intensity, environmental scope, bargaining power, and environmental expertise increase the incidence of patented environmental innovations related to domains in which industry competitors are less focused (i.e., technological divergence). We also show a positive relationship between this divergence and market-based firm performance. Our results suggest that pursuing innovative divergence to avoid opportunism may make ethical and market sense and we also identify the organizational factors that can support these efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the relationship between environmental innovations and firms’ financial performance from the perspective of environmental activism intensity. We explore how the number of green patents affects the financial performance of small, medium, and large firms and whether the growing number of green patents positively affects firms’ financial performance. We employed a panel data sample of 1136 green innovative and 2395 non-green innovative firms from the USA and Europe and compared their financial results. The results show that small firms benefit financially only in the second year after the first green patent implementation. Medium-sized firms enjoy improved financial performance in the first two years after the implementation of one or two green patents; however, the third green patent does not anyhow improve the financial performance. Large firms gain financial benefits every year after issuing green patents regardless of the patents’ quantity. Generally, the increase in financial performance is moderate in the first year, reaches the maximum in the second year, and becomes statistically insignificant in the third year after the last green patent’s implementation.

Abstract. The purpose of the scientific publication is to analyze the dynamics of innovation and investment support for regional ecological development, to identify prospective ways to improve the financial incentives for innovative environmentally-oriented development of Ukrainian regions. The achievement of the purpose of environmentally sustainable development of the country and its regions requires an innovative approach, which essence is to introduce innovations aimed at accelerating quantitative and qualitative changes in the methods of management combined with the development and absorption of environmentally safe innovations, the development of the market for innovative environmental goods and services. The article emphasizes that the innovative eco-sustainable development is the main means of solving a wide range of problems in almost all spheres of life and characterizes the quality of the socio-economic system of the country as a whole and its regions. The article discusses the features of implementation of innovations and investment in the regional ecological development. It analyses the dynamics of innovation-investment support of regional ecological development based on calculations of innovation-scientific and investment indicators. This provided the basis for their rating assessment and identification of the interregional differentiation of administrative regions of Ukraine according to the indexes, which could be the basis for making managerial decisions on innovation and investment support for environmentally sustainable development, taking into account regional peculiarities. It is proved that for the activation of innovation and investment support for regional eco-sustainable development, it is necessary to determine its preconditions, taking into account the assessment of the possibilities of implementation of innovations and attraction of investments in the regions of Ukraine. Indices of innovation and investment support for environmentally safe development of the region are calculated on the basis of statistical data that have an enormous influence on their level and their grouping has been conducted according to qualitative features. A number of measures have been proposed to improve the financial incentives for innovative environmentally-oriented regional development. Keywords: innovation and investment projects, eco-sustainable development, environmental innovations, innovation activity, capital investments, financial sources. JEL Classification Q56, R58, O31, G31 Formulas: 0; fig.: 3; tabl.: 3; bibl.: 19.

Enterprises are increasingly required to improve their environmental performances. The adoption of environmental innovations (EIs) is believed a way to achieve this goal. So a flourishing debate about the determinants supporting investment in EIs arose. Researchers have thus far paid attention mainly to established manufacturing firms operating in traditional sectors. Hence, scientific literature recommends deepening the behavior of small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) because of the role they play in the productive systems in many Western countries. With this in mind, this study investigates a probabilistic sample of 222 innovative SMEs using the partial least squares and importance–performance map analysis in order to identify the factors affecting their propensity to invest in EIs. Findings show that the propensity results are affected by the firms' environmental awareness, company staff, and capabilities, among the internal factors, whereas among the external ones, the propensity is affected by norms and regulations. An important role is also played by the hope to improve their economic and environmental performances. Monetary and fiscal incentives reveal not to be significant. Consequently, policies should firstly propose an appropriate mix of regulations and stimuli following two directions: a compliance direction to more stringent regulations and rules to be followed through the imposition of penalties and a cultural direction aiming at improving environmental awareness of SMEs about the desirability of pursuing EIs for both ethical and economic reasons, given the potential benefits associated with such innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We examine the effects of Environmental Innovations on CO 2 Emissions for 15 UE countries. • We use an ARDL model based on data covering the period 1991–2014. • Our results highlight that in the long-term environmental innovations tend to lower CO 2 emissions. • In the short-term the observed effect is the opposite, suggesting the existence of a rebound effect. • Several orientations in terms of public policies can be drawn up in the light of these results. Environmental innovations are key enablers of transition towards greener economies. Despite their importance, empirical studies examining the effect of green technologies on CO 2 emissions are still limited. Using an autoregressive distributed-lag model (ARDL), we analyze the impact of environmental innovations, the consumption of renewable energies, GDP per capita, and degree of economic openness on CO 2 emissions for 15 European countries over 23 years. Our results indicate that, in the long-term, environmental innovations tend to lower CO 2 emissions, whereas in the short-term the observed effect is the opposite, suggesting the existence of a rebound effect. This study recommends introducing new policies that combine tools of environmental economics with those of ecological economy to integrate economic incentives with regulatory changes and encourage individuals to consume differently by favouring products and/or services with a less negative impact on the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, assessing sustainable development methodology is kept in sustainable society index (SSI) format, but at the level of meso- and microsystems it remains undeveloped. The aim of the study is to typologize innovative mesosystems in Russian industry in the context of sustainable development based on the CART algorithm and to develop an algorithm for identifying priority areas of sustainable development. The research methods applied included formalization, a systematic approach, and the CART algorithm (calculation of the Gini index, training sample segmentation, the use of a recursive function and regression assessment). As a result of the study, the algorithm for the differentiated identification of innovative mesosystems sustainable development priority directions in industry based on the unique author’s methodology (ISDI) is proposed. The predominance of mesosystems with weak level of sustainable development requiring state support in favor of such mesosystems restructure is revealed. The novelty of the research lies in the development of new science-based solutions to ensure an accelerated transition of industry to the path of sustainable development. The difference of the author’s approach from the provisions known in science is the inclusion of environmental innovations in the mechanism for managing the sustainable development of innovative mesosystems and subsequent accounting in the process of mathematical processing of an array of data, which determines the uniqueness of the constructed decision trees.

This paper explores the relationship between a firm's knowledge sourcing strategy and green innovation. The data are taken from Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development REGPAT database, February 2016, relative to the European Patent Office firms' patent applications published up to December 2015. The study contributes to the literature by focusing on the moderating role of integration between different activities related to environmental performance on the relationship between knowledge sources and green innovations. The results from 240 firms indicate a shift in the focus from internal knowledge to external knowledge when developing environmental innovations. Government policies promoting more knowledge complementarity and coordination between environmental fields will help to promote more knowledge transfer, allowing more sustainable development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, by analysing technology attributes, examines the degree to which companies build on environmental technologies generated by public research organisations (PROs) to develop the related technological solutions. Three main technology attributes have been considered: (i) the level of establishment, (ii) the scope of application, and (iii) the technological breadth. We have then developed three hypotheses about the influence exerted by these characteristics and have chosen the green energy as the field of investigation. The analysis is based on a sample of 4363 green energy patents registered by PROs at the United States Patent and Trademark Office in the 1976–2011 period. The results of a set of Tobit regression have revealed that the level of establishment, the scope of application and the technological breadth of public environmental technologies are positively related to the technological development of an industry. Hence, these findings can help advance the current debate on whether the green outputs of public research can stimulate firms to generate environmental technologies. • To what degree firms innovate by relying on PROs' green energy technologies is analysed. • The attributes of green energy technologies developed by PROs are considered. • Results are based on a sample of 4363 green energy patents and related information. • The attributes of public technologies affect industry technological development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific work illustrates the newly developed methodical approach to complex statistical research of environmental security of differentiated territories. It is based on the method of integrated assessment of the level of environmental security as the result of the mutual influence of industrial and economic, nature-protective activities of environmental innovations. On its basis, the analysis of environmental situation has been carried out both of the countries of the world and separate territories. The directions of improvement of statistical observation have been justified in the field of environmental security, which include modernization of the forms of manifestation of international observation practice. This provides a combination of statistical indicators and the correct conduct of interterritorial comparisons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to explore the impact of environmental innovation on employment in 85 Russian regions (federal subjects) for the period 2010–2014. In particular, we use latitude and longitude coordinates to compute the distance between Russian regions according to haversine formula. In this way, we measure the spillovers as the weighted sum of R&D capital stock on the basis of computed distance. The contribution to the literature is to explore whether environmental innovations are labour-friendly or labour-saving in Russia. From the empirical results of least squares dummy variable corrected (LSDVC) estimator, we observe different results by Federal Districts (groupings of the federal subjects) of the Russian Federation. The finding is very important in terms of policy implications for supporting employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, energy intensity-efficiency has improved in the Nordic states and largely among the European Union member states, thus accounting for the region's impressive performance in terms of environmental sustainability. Clearly, there is paucity of literature on the criticality of renewable energy efficiency/intensity as compared with disaggregated fossil fuel efficiency. To offer more novelty, environmental sustainability (de) merit of renewable energy intensity is compared with fossil (oil, natural gas, and coal) fuel efficiency in the panel of Nordic states over the period 1990–2020 by employing relevant econometric approaches such as the cross-sectional autoregressive distributed lag (CS-ARDL). Importantly, the result shows that a percentage increase in renewable energy intensity mitigates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by ∼0.45% against ∼0.29% by oil energy efficiency in the long run, thus suggesting that environmental performance of renewable energy intensity outweighs the efficient use of oil fuel. Additionally, renewable energy intensity also outperforms efficient use of natural gas and coal energy by ∼0.51%–∼0.37% and ∼0.43%–∼0.17% respectively. However, economic growth and environmental-related innovations spur GHG emissions, implying that the Nordic countries are decoupling economic performance from environmental setbacks amidst structural shift via technological innovations. The results are considered formidable for the specificity of energy mix policy especially in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Eco-innovation is an approach to environmental sustainability. However, the process of eco-innovation can be challenging especially for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Thus, SMEs might seek external support to tackle some of their challenges in eco-innovation. In this article, we focus on one type of organization providing and also assisting SMEs to access support, intermediaries, i.e. an organization or body that acts as an agent or broker in the innovation process. Intermediaries support firms in the innovation process through various generic and customised activities. To identify such activities and describe the roles intermediaries take in eco-innovation, we conducted interviews and documentation analysis on selected intermediaries in two regions – Scania, Sweden and North Rhine Westphalia, Germany. The identified roles among our cases include: (i) forecasting and road mapping, (ii) information gathering and dissemination, (iii) fostering networking and partnerships, (iv) prototyping and piloting, (v) technical consulting, (vi) resource mobilisation, (vii) commercialisation, and (viii) branding and legitimation. In relation to the specific characteristics of eco-innovations, the intermediary roles such as prototyping and piloting, information gathering and dissemination, and branding were directly targeted at validating the environmental benefits of eco-innovations to tackle their "double externality" challenge. However, we found little intermediation activities from our cases directed explicitly at policy change for eco-innovation. For policy makers, our results suggest a complementary use of different types of intermediaries to support eco-innovation. Highlights • Roles of intermediaries in eco-innovation are identified and synthesized. • Intermediary roles in "conventional" innovations are also relevant for eco-innovation. • Validating the environmental benefits of eco-innovations is a key target. • Complementarity, learning and aggregation is needed among intermediaries. • We distinguish between intermediation in eco-innovation and innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • We elaborate on three kinds of organizations empirically studied as intermediaries. • We exemplify the differences and similarities between intermediaries using empirical cases studies. • Intermediaries differ in terms of their source of funding, the scope of their intermediation, and their target recipients. • We discuss why the similarities and differences are particularly relevant for policy design. • This article advocates for clarity and transparency regarding the concept of and entities studied as intermediaries. Abstract Sustainability transitions encompass changes in existing socio-technological systems. In this context, scholars have emphasized the roles that intermediaries can play for sustainability transition. However, in the literature, the organizations or actors considered to act as intermediaries are very diverse and the concept of intermediary is used interchangeably between contexts. There is a risk that policy makers face difficulties understanding differences among intermediaries and consequently use some intermediaries for unfitting purposes. In this article, we propose to identify the similarities and differences among intermediaries, which are relevant for policy design for sustainability transitions. We base our comparison on three main characteristics: intermediaries' source of funding, their scope of action and the target recipients of their services. Our analysis indicates that these differences have an impact on intermediaries' short-term or long-term orientation, actor-level or system-level focus, and demand-side or supply-side target. We end the article by discussing the implications for policy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information communication technology (ICT) and environmental innovation (EI) are relevant waves of the ongoing technological revolution. We study the complementarity in innovation adoption to test the research hypothesis that the higher the diffusion and intensity of usage of ICT and EI, the higher a firm's productivity performance might be. However, it is not certain that the use of different innovations stemming from different innovation paths generates higher productivity. To test our hypothesis, we use original survey data concerning manufacturing firms in Northeast Italy including detailed information on both ICT and EI. Empirical evidence shows that there are still wide margins to improve the integration between EI and ICT in order to exploit their potential benefits on productivity. The awareness of specific synergies seems to mainly characterise the heavy polluting firms that are subject to more stringent environmental constraints, while some trade-offs tend to emerge for the remaining firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of energy security on environmental assessment using empirical dataset from the Newly Industrialized Countries. Along with energy security, several important non-climatic indicators such as quality of governance, financial development and uncertainty index are incorporated into the carbon emissions function. This study uses efficient panel data techniques such as Dynamic Common Correlated Effects Estimator-Mean Group and Common Correlated Effects Mean-Group estimation approaches. These techniques take into account the problems of cross-section related dependence and slope-heterogeneity. The findings from current study demonstrate that energy insecurity drives emissions while technological innovations, natural resources and financial development negatively affect environmental quality. Moreover, having uncertainty in the economy also drives emissions. Emerging economies must implement environmental plans that amalgamate economic decisions and environmental concerns. Another thrust of emphasis is on the need to encourage the pricing of environmental resources to influence environmental sustainability. To promote energy security and environmental welfare, there is an urgent need to discuss the roles of energy savings and abolishing subsidies on fossil fuels. [Display omitted] • We study the impact of energy security and natural resources in NICs. • D-CCEMG and CCEMG were used for empirical investigation. • Energy security risk and uncertainty enhance emissions. • Technological innovations and quality of governance lower emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper tests empirically whether various types of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) adoption and other innovation practices (techno-organisational change and training courses) are complementary inputs with respect to the adoption of specific environmental innovations (EI). The analysis is based on original survey data for a large industrial Italian region (Emilia-Romagna), which offer various views on ICT and EI relationships. This survey contains information on the adoption of environmental innovations and some detailed information on ICT issues and other technological-organisational processes. Our main findings suggest that, overall, complementarity does not seem to characterize the relationship between ICT and other innova-tion processes as a force behind environmental innovation, but some important exceptions emerge. Complementarities exists, for instance, between technological innovation and both adoption of ICT management systems and ICT for cooperation with clients. Interestingly, restricting the analysis to a sub-sample of more polluting firm, both complementarity and substitutability emerge more evidently. First published online 14 April 2016