Innovation for the environment

René Kemp

UNU-MERIT, ICIS, DRIFT

Presentation 3Environment and Sustainable Development course

UNU-MERIT PhD programme

Innovation is many things

Environmental technologiesconsists of new and modified processes, equipment, products, techniques and management systems that avoid or reduce harmful environmental impacts

They may be grouped in 5 categories: Treatment technology Clean production processes Green energy technology Environmental measurement and management Consumer products

Environmental benefits may also be achieved through system changes (system innovation).

Innovation is created in distributed systems of knowledge and its success depends on economic frame conditions

and many other factors not under the control of the innovator

this is true for normal innovation and for environmental innovation

radical change in process technology

incremental process change

NEW KNOWLEDGE

Obtained for example from public sector research or R&D by external suppliers

TYPES OF KNOWLEDGE DEPLOYED

Available within plant

EXISTING KNOW- LEDGE

Work group Company Suppliers and consumers All players in

life cycle

ACTORS LOCAL

IN SUPPLY CHAIN SOCIETAL

improved techniques /

working practices

better housekeeping

internal recycling

product chain management

new product concept

minor product change -

material substitution

external recycling

Source : Clayton , Anthony , Graham Spinardi and Robin Williams (1999), Policies for Cleaner Technology . A New Agenda for Government and Industry . Earthscan Publications Ltd ., London, p.273

Input from industry n

Input to industry 1

Input to industry 2

Input to industry n

Final Consumers

Output linkages

‘Sub

ject

in

dust

ry’

Inpu

t lin

kage

s

DEMAND CONDITIONS(Shape product quality, productivity, standards, social acceptability etc.)

CAPITAL AND INTERMEDIATE GOODS(Materials, energy use, sub-system technologies, knowledge inputs etc.)

PRODUCTION PROCESS(Design, materials selection, use of inputs, process technologies)

Input from industry B

          regulations socio- cult. constraints          standards          legal framework etc          infrastructures          settlement structures          infrastructures

Input from industry A 

Production process

END PRODUCT

The production chain 

 

Innovation is a systemic, dynamic process involving increasing returns to adoption and inherent uncertaintiesTechnological innovation is part of trajectories and patterns (Pavitt; van de Poel) and depends on institutional innovation (in policy, markets, organisation, beliefs and values) for its development and use

Basics about innovation

Appropriate technologies for developing countries

Large scale or small scaleBuilding on indigenous capabilities and traditions (example of biogas)How to make them fit (mutual alignment)? Possibilities for leapfrogging?