Економічні науки /6.Маркетинг и менеджмент

Kharuk K. B.

Lviv commercial academy, Ukraine

Actuality eco-innovations in context of

modern world progress trends

Eco-innovation looks likely to be an increasingly important driver for economic development across the globe as we respond to the huge climate, energy and other environmental challenges. So it is essential that we start tracking more effectively these patterns of innovation, because so much depends upon them.

Eco-innovation means all forms of innovation activities resulting in or aimed at significantly improving environmental protection. Eco-innovation includes new production processes, new products or services, and new management and business methods, the use or implementation of which is likely to prevent or substantially reduce the risks to the environment, pollution and any other negative impact of the use of resources throughout the lifecycle of related activities.

The world market of environmental products and services is growing. According to a OECD study, in the EU-25 alone, goods and services provided by eco-industries is estimated to represent around 2.2% of the EU-25 GDP [4]. Clearly, eco-innovation represents a key opportunity to establish Europe's leading role to overcoming the world's sustainability challenges, and a sizeable business opportunity that can make Europe's economy even stronger and more competitive in the future. This call supports Eco-innovative projects in different sectors which aim at the prevention or reduction of environmental impacts or which contribute to the optimal use of resources. However, more specific priorities have been set up considering its important environmental impact. They are summarized hereafter [3]:

· In the field of materials recycling: improved sorting processes for waste materials; eco-friendly design and production of high quality consumer goods, innovative recycling processes; business innovations that strengthen the competitiveness of the recycling industries.

· In the food and drink sector: innovative products including packaging methods and material that reduce environmental impact; cleaner and more efficient processing of food and drink products so as to reduce waste and increase material recycling and recovery; improved efficiency water management processes that reduce the use of water across the food and drink supply chain; innovative products, processes and services reducing environmental impacts of consumption including packaging, distribution and purchasing decisions.

· In the building and construction sector: innovative building products that reduce environmental impact and/or support a rational use of natural resources; innovative sorting, reuse and recycling of construction and demolition waste; innovative water systems including water saving, re-use of natural waters, rainwater collection and re-use, green roofs.

· In the area of greening business and 'smart' purchasing: products and services that follow the principles of Integrated Product Policy and the life-cycle approach and in line with the various policies documented in the Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy; innovative approaches to EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme).

Our research investigated the usefulness of three methods for measuring eco-innovation [4]:   

· Survey analysis;

· Patent analysis;

· Digital and documentary source analysis.

The overall conclusion is that, although some methods are better than others, no single method or indicator is ideal. One should apply different methods for analyzing eco-innovation — to see the “whole elephant” instead of just a part. In particular, more efforts should be devoted towards direct measurement of innovation output using documentary and digital sources. The advantage is that they measure innovation output rather than innovation inputs or an intermediary output measure. Innovation may also be measured indirectly from changes in resource efficiency and productivity. These two avenues are under explored and should be given more attention — to augment the rather narrow knowledge basis.

It is thus understood that to eco-innovate is to go beyond the adoption of environmental technologies. In developed countries this is characterized by the transition from investing in pollution control technologies to addressing cleaner production processes, recycling systems, and products. In developing countries, sustainable water management and efficient use of resources are critical issues requiring attention.

To the European Union, eco-innovation represents the proverbial bridge between economic growth and more jobs (the ‘Lisbon Agenda’) on the one hand, and the objective of sustainable development (the ‘Gothenburg Strategy’) on the other [2]. By promoting eco-efficiency and environmental technologies, the EU is reconciling economic growth with environmental protection.

List of the used sources:

1. Eco-innovation: for a competitive Europe / Timo Makela // Eco-innovation European Info Day (Brussels, 20 April 2009).

2. http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/pdf/monnet/susdev_bil.pdf

3. http://ec.europa.eu/environment/eco-innovation/what_en.htm

4. http://www.cipmalta.com/Page.aspx?pageid=51