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Can strategicdependenciesharmthe acceleration towardsnet-zerotransition? The caseofthelithium-ionbattery industry

Author

Listed:
  • Francesco Crespi
  • Nicolò Geri
  • Dario Guarascio
  • Enrico Marvasi

Abstract

This paperinvestigatestherelationshipbetweentechnologicalcapabilities,importdependency,and environmentalpolicies,focusingonthelithium-ionbatterysupplychain(LBSC)–acriticalsectorforthe net-zero transition.Wecontributetothegrowingliteratureonthedriversandbarrierstoacceleratingthe transitioninthefollowingways.First,wedevelopanoriginalanalyticalframeworkthatintegratestwo recent streamsofliterature(i.e.theoneonaccelerationofthegreentransitionandtheoneonstructural dependencies andtechnologicalsovereignty),inordertodiscusstheexistenceofpotentialtrade-offsbe- tweenthetwoobjectives.Second,wedevelopastrategicintelligenceanalysisoftheLBSCbyproposinga novelmethodologicalapproachtoidentifyimportdependenciesandtechnologicalcapacitygaps,which allowstosingleoutcriticalproductsandstageswherepolicyactionisneededtoavoidtheemergenceof bottleneckstothegreentransition.Third,weexaminehowtechnologicalcapabilitiesinfluenceimport dependency,showingunderwhatconditionstechnologicalupgradingimprovescountries’competitive positions andmitigatesdependencyissues.Finally,weanalysehowenvironmentalpolicystringencyre- lates toimportdependencyinordertodiscussinwhichcontextenvironmentalgoalsmayconflictwith thoserelatedtotechnologicalsovereigntyandstrategicautonomy.Ourfindingssuggestthattechno- logical upgradingcanreducedependencieswithoutcompromisingenvironmentalgoalssothatthepre- sumed trade-offbetweenthenet-zerotransitionandstructuraldependenciesdoesnotnecessarilyhold. In contrast,awell-designedpolicymix,aligningenvironmentalobjectiveswithtargetedinnovationand industrialpolicies,canenhancebothresilienceandtheaccelerationtowardsthenet-zerotransition.

Suggested Citation

  • Francesco Crespi & Nicolò Geri & Dario Guarascio & Enrico Marvasi, 2026. "Can strategicdependenciesharmthe acceleration towardsnet-zerotransition? The caseofthelithium-ionbattery industry," Departmental Working Papers of Economics - University 'Roma Tre' 0291, Department of Economics - University Roma Tre.
    • Handle: RePEc:rtr:wpaper:0291
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    JEL classification:

    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • Q58 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Government Policy
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade

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