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Green Innovation and Income Inequality: A Complex System Analysis

Author

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  • Lorenzo Napolitano

    (Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council, Rome)

  • Angelica Sbardella

    (Institute of Economics, Sant’Anna School for Advanced Studies, Pisa)

  • Davide Consoli

    (INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Polit`ecnica de Val`encia)

  • Nicolo Barbieri

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Ferrara)

  • Francois Perruchas

    (INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Polit`ecnica de Val`encia)

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to analyse the relationship between income inequality and environmental innovation. We use a complexity-based algorithm to compute an index of green inventive capacity in a panel of 57 countries over the period 1970–2010. The empirical analysis reveals that, on average, inequality is detrimental to countries’ capacity to engage complex green technologies knowledge bases. Using non-parametric methods allows us to further articulate this general finding and to uncover interesting non-linearities in the relationship between innovation and inequality

Suggested Citation

  • Lorenzo Napolitano & Angelica Sbardella & Davide Consoli & Nicolo Barbieri & Francois Perruchas, 2020. "Green Innovation and Income Inequality: A Complex System Analysis," SPRU Working Paper Series 2020-11, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    • Handle: RePEc:sru:ssewps:2020-11
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    Cited by:

    1. Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Broekel, Tom & Diodato, Dario & Giuliani, Elisa & Hausmann, Ricardo & O'Clery, Neave & Rigby, David, 2022. "The new paradigm of economic complexity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(3).
    2. Francesco de Cunzo & Alberto Petri & Andrea Zaccaria & Angelica Sbardella, 2022. "The trickle down from environmental innovation to productive complexity," Papers 2206.07537, arXiv.org.
    3. Balland, Pierre-Alexandre & Broekel, Tom & Diodato, Dario & Giuliani, Elisa & Hausmann, Ricardo & O'Clery, Neave & Rigby, David, 2022. "Reprint of The new paradigm of economic complexity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(8).
    4. Sabrina Aufiero & Giordano De Marzo & Angelica Sbardella & Andrea Zaccaria, 2023. "Mapping job complexity and skills into wages," Papers 2304.05251, arXiv.org.
    5. Angelica Sbardella & Andrea Zaccaria & Luciano Pietronero & Pasquale Scaramozzino, 2021. "Behind the Italian Regional Divide: An Economic Fitness and Complexity Perspective," LEM Papers Series 2021/30, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    6. Peng Hou & Jifei Guo, 2023. "Exploring the Demand-Pull Effect on Green Innovation and Its Spatial Spillover Effects: Evidence from 261 Chinese Prefecture-Level Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-22, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Complexity; Environmental Innovation; Inequality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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