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Sustainability Traps: Patience and Innovation

Author

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  • Evangelos V. Dioikitopoulos

    (Athens University of Economics and Business)

  • Christos Karydas

    (ETH Zurich)

Abstract

This paper argues that the joint relation between long-term orientation, environmental quality and innovation plays a key role in explaining the economic and the environmental dimension of sustainability. In our model multiple equilibria of economic development and environmental quality can arise due to a trade-off between the demand for innovation that promotes sustainability, and the ephemeral pleasure from polluting manufacturing that impedes it. Additional to traditional policies such as aid and technology transfers, policies that target behavioral changes through environmental protection may provide a double-dividend of economic and environmental sustainability through an environment-patience-innovation channel.

Suggested Citation

  • Evangelos V. Dioikitopoulos & Christos Karydas, 2024. "Sustainability Traps: Patience and Innovation," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 87(6), pages 1425-1444, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:enreec:v:87:y:2024:i:6:d:10.1007_s10640-024-00851-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s10640-024-00851-4
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Endogenous growth; Innovation; Time preference; Environment-poverty traps;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O44 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Environment and Growth
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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