Eco-Innovation - putting the EU on the path to a resource and energy efficient economy
Abstract
The inefficient resource use at a time of growing demand is leading to increasing environmental pressure and resources scarcity that will affect Europe and other parts of the world over the next years and decades. Prices for global commodities like oil, raw materials and wheat have been increasing over the past five years though the current financial crisis has temporarily led to lowering demand for natural resources. Achieving resource efficiency and a low carbon society are key challenges for the future of EU's economy, its industrial and service sector, and its citizens. Eco-innovation - putting the EU on the path to a resource and energy efficient economy - can be seen as a key to enhancing Europe's strategic position on world markets of tomorrow. In this regard, the current bail out of the financial crisis ought to be seen as a starting point for the build up of eco-innovation and eco-industries in the EU. The objective of this study is to support the European Parliament's ITRE Committee in its work on the EU's industrial and energy policy and to give advice on the following issues: Why is the issue of resource scarcity back on the agenda? What are the strategic conclusions for the EU? What can the EU expect from eco-innovation in a large range of industrial sectors? Are existing measures meeting the EU aims and expectations, and what new policy initiatives should be set forward? -- Die Nachfrage nach Ressourcen wächst weiter, die Preise für globale Güter wie Öl, Weizen und andere Rohstoffe sind in den letzten fünf Jahren stetig angestiegen, obwohl die aktuelle Finanzkrise zeitweise zu einer sinkenden Nachfrage geführt hat. Somit verstärkt sich der aus einer ineffizienten Ressourcennutzung resultierende Druck auf Umwelt und Wirtschaft. Eine steigende Energie- und Ressourceneffizienz würde zu sinkenden Beschaffungskosten in allen Industriebereichen führen, die Wettbewerbsfähigkeit stärken sowie Innovationen fördern. Diese Studie soll die Kommission ITRE des Europäischen Parlaments in ihrer Arbeit für die europäische Industrie- und Energiepolitik unterstützen und folgende Fragestellungen klären: Welche Konsequenzen zieht die EU aus dem Problem der Ressourcenknappheit in Hinblick auf ihre Strategie? Welche Effekte können von ökologischen Innovationen für die Industrie erwartet werden? Welche Maßnahmen sind geeignet, die Ziele und Erwartungen der EU zu erfüllen und welche politischen Initiativen sollten vorangetrieben werden? Die Studie gibt zunächst eine überblicksartige Darstellung zum Thema Ressourcenknappheit. Danach werden Öko-Innovationen näher vorgestellt und Entwicklungen, Hindernisse und Antriebskräfte mit einbezogen. Anschließend werden Vorschläge für zukünftige EU-Politiken gegeben und schließlich ein mögliches Zukunftsszenario umrissen.Download Info
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This book is provided by Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy in its series Wuppertal Spezial with number 38 and published in 2009.
Volume: 38
Handle: RePEc:zbw:wupspe:38
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Web page: http://www.wupperinst.org/en/home/index.html
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- European Commission, 2010. "Taxation trends in the European Union: 2010 edition," Taxation trends 2010, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
- Bleischwitz, Raimund, 2003. "Cognitive and institutional perspectives of eco-efficiency," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 453-467, October.
Citations
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- Doran, Justin & Ryan, Geraldine, 2012. "Regulation and Firm Perception, Eco-Innovation and Firm Performance," MPRA Paper 44578, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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