Felicity Kelliher & Leana Reinl RIKON Research Group Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland 18...
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Transcript of Felicity Kelliher & Leana Reinl RIKON Research Group Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland 18...
Felicity Kelliher & Leana ReinlRIKON Research Group
Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland18th May 2015
The Green Economy
• “an economy that results in improved human well-being and reduced inequalities over the long term, while not exposing future generations to significant environmental risks and ecological scarcities” (UNEP, 2011: 9).
Research Question?
• How to engage SMEs in the emerging green economy in order to develop untapped economic resources and facilitate sustainable rural development?
• Ethos– Collegial approach to learner facilitation– Enable a research-informed model of practice– Pursue a policy-practice link among rural SMEs
• Goal– Engage rural SMEs in the Green Economy
How do we marry economy & environment in a rural context?
Grow through Green?Grow through Green?
The green debate (Ireland)
Policy reform
GND initiative (‘green collar’ jobs)
Drive forEco-innovation
??
A policy gap?
Policy…• EC (2007) objectives:
– 20% reduction in total EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels;
– 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020;
– Increase in EU consumption from renewable resources to 20%
• Climate & Energy Package (EC, 2009)• Energy Efficiency Plan (EC, 2011)
• OECD: Green Growth Strategy (2011)
Practice…• Green-collar jobs?
• Translation from policy (EPA, 1993) to rural green initiatives has been slow.
• Still seeking ways & means to ‘decouple growth from natural capital depletion’ (OECD, 2011: 10).
Challenge of rural input momentum
Rural SME Engagement in the Green Economy
Input-Output EthosInvest = green jobs
Rural Collaboration (cross the borders)
Döring & Schnellenbach, 2006 Walsh et al. 2012Mariadoss et al. 2011
Da Graҫa Carvalho et al. 2011 Kucera, 2009Renner et al. 2008
Aylward, 2012 Koch et al. 2006 Miles & Tully, 2007
Green Innovation & Future Technology
Renner et al. 2008 Kaufmann & Tödtling, 2002Kelliher & Reinl, 2009
Green Innovation and Future Technologies (GIFT)
GREEN JOBS
SKILLS
PROGRAMME
Partner Complimentary Strengths
Bangor University (Wales)
Waterford Institute of technology (Ireland)
UCD(Ireland)
SME/Corporate Knowledge Transfer
Gift Network: Gift Network: Purpose & DeliverablesPurpose & Deliverables
• Facilitate Connectivity
• Provide training in specialist theme areas
• Spreading knowledge on green practice
The resultant goals…• Develop a comprehensive cross-border green knowledge/ innovation
‘ecosystem’ comprised of all rural stakeholders to facilitate the green agenda with a portfolio of studies and actions;
• Provide technically-based training activities relating to business, the environment, climate change, energy, and waste management;
• Facilitate greater linkages within and between the various disciplines in higher education institutions (HEIs) and rural industry;
• Apply business activities which utilise the environment and can grow through green ways of working and new eco-products/ services.
Geographical Focus• Wales
Blended learning
Annual showcase/
awards
GIFT and the Green Economy
Blended learning
Annual showcase/
awards
SKILLS PROGRAMME
GREEN JOBS
GIFT and the Green Economy
This isn’t simple but it is rewarding
Proposed Framework:Implications for policy
• This research helped identify the core themes in interaction with the wider rural SME community.
• Framework Value– Contemplates knowledge
embodiment & organsiational innovativeness in the context of the green economy
– role in transforming embedded knowledge into embodied knowledge
– benefit of moving towards a sustainable green, smart economy.
• Business evolution– green innovation feeds back
out into a continuous community of practice cycle, facilitating the emergence of a stakeholder eco-system over time.
– new era of eco-innovation and environmentally-friendly business operations
Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. (eds). 2014, Green Innovation and Future Technology: Engaging
Regional SMEs in the Green Economy. Palgrave Pivot, UK.
Thank you for your time
Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap:Engaging rural firms in the green economy