Eco-innovation development in selected European and Asian countries: a comparative analysis

Abstract

The development of eco-innovation is driven by globalisation processes, technological progress and climate change. It is also directly related to the pursuit of sustainable development, as well as to the reduction of negative impacts on the environment and the efficient use of natural resources. Monitoring progress towards sustainable development requires the systematic measurement of eco-innovation. An important theoretical and practical challenge is to develop methods and indicators to measure eco-innovation. Currently, there are different systems for measuring eco-innovation, which makes international comparative analysis difficult. The purpose of this article is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of measuring eco-innovation in selected European and Asian countries. The study uses a critical literature review as well as a comparative analysis and synthesis method based on the ASEM Eco-Innovation Index. The study provides evidence that there are a number of differences in eco-innovation between European and Asian countries. Measuring eco-innovation is particularly important in planning and implementing instruments to stimulate environmental innovation across countries.

Towards sustainable development in the European Union: a critical raw materials perspective

“…However, the authors indicated that the policy objectives of raw materials should be based on an assessment of their potential economic, social, and environmental impacts. They also emphasised that the priority of the European Union is to improve the efficiency of resource management and that resource assessment may be crucial from the point of view of other EU policies, including those related to eco-innovation and competitiveness (Urbaniec & Tomala, 2021). In addition, resource efficiency will enable the identification of resources of key importance to the EU economy, the use of which should be optimised through consumption reduction, recycling and substitutability.…”

Financial efficiency vs. environmental efficiency on the example of the meat and poultry industry in Poland

“…The environment in Poland is threatened by factors related to agricultural activities like a way of farming, land use, the nature of livestock production, and drainage system, as well as factors unrelated to agricultural activit-ies like emissions from enterprises' production and processing, residential buildings, waste management, sewage system, public transport, etc. (Urbaniec & Tomala, 2021). Every economic activity has certain effects on the environment, which can be more or less harmful, sometimes even irreversible.…”

Eco-innovation strategies in the development of internationalization

“…In the scientific literature, the concept of eco-innovation is investigated mainly from two perspectives. First, scientific literature investigates eco-innovation and considers eco-innovation as a tool for economic and financial growth, gaining competitive advantage, improving environmental performance, and sustainable development from the country-level perspective (Urbaniec & Tomala, 2021); industrylevel (Ullah et al, 2022); or firm-level (Zameer et al, 2022). Thus, given the aim and formulated problem, the primary focus of this dissertation is the firm-level environment.…”

“…Finally, Martínez-Ros and Merino (2023) found that eco-innovation provides an extra capability that enhances the probability of entering new international markets and that its effects are long-term. To sum up, eco-innovation plays an overwhelming role in internationalization and is considered a driver (direct or mediator) of internationalization, which improves the international performance of the firm and opens new market opportunities Urbaniec & Tomala, 2021). Therefore, this dissertation adopts the second approach, and the eco-innovation strategy is considered an integral component of the internationalization strategy.…”