The eco-innovation mode in China and its impact on carbon emissions:From the exploration/exploitation perspective

The exploration/exploitation perspective is a well-known concept in the strategic management field;however,it has seldom been used to explore and analyze strategy at a national level.This study utilizes this perspective to analyze China's eco-innovation mode in response to climate change.By categorizing eco-innovation into radical and incremental eco-innovation,we examine the relationship between these concepts using Y02 patents as a proxy and panel data from 30 Chinese provinces from 2004 to 2015.The results show that eco-innovation as a whole as well as both radical and incremental innovations are drivers for reducing carbon emissions.Furthermore,contradictory to most previous empirical results related to the complementarity hypothesis,we find a complementary relationship between radical and incremental eco-innovation.These results collectively represent China's unique eco-innovation mode,confirming the assumed diversity of eco-innovation models in different contexts.The results also show the significant positive effects of economic development,urbanization level,industrial structure,and China's opening up on carbon emissions,indicating that economic and social development have not yet been completely dissociated from carbon emissions in China.

Review of EU projects with a focus on environmental quality: Innovation, eco-innovation, and circular-economy elements

The primary objective of this study is to delve into transnational projects conducted between 2014 and 2020,with a strong emphasis on environmental quality.Our focus is directed toward projects that encompass either eco-innovation or feature elements intrinsic to a circular economy.To achieve this goal,we introduce a pioneering analytical framework tailored to dissect transnational projects,which intricately interweaves the diverse dimensions of environmental quality and innovation,facilitating a comparative assessment across various program classifications.Our approach aligns with the overarching mission of the four flagship initiatives,in which we evaluate the combined impacts on sustainability and innovation.This evaluation considers three fundamental factors:(1)resource allocation,(2)innovation type,and(3)infusion of eco-innovation or circular economy elements.Our methodology unfolds through a systematic,step-by-step progression.First,we meticulously handpick programs,specifically Interreg,Horizon,and Life projects,within the scope of TSG3(Environmental Quality).Each of these programs corresponds to one of the following four flagship initiatives:(1)overseeing and managing marine species,(2)fostering sustainable development in coastal and maritime zones,(3)safeguarding and elevating natural habitats and terrestrial ecosystems,and(4)formulating transnational contingency strategies for maritime accidents.Through an exhaustive review,we identify projects that either directly or indirectly champion eco-innovation or other facets of the circular economy.Concurrently,we uncover broader manifestations of innovation,eco-innovation,and circular economy principles.Employing the Oslo Manual as a guide,we methodically categorize these innovations into the product,process,organizational,and marketing domains.In the timeframe under scrutiny,a relatively modest subset of projects embraced eco-innovations and practices aligned with the circular economy.Our findings culminate in the formulation of practical implications to invigorate the integration of these dimensions.

Driving research on eco-innovation systems:Crossing the boundaries of innovation systems

Sustainability is now a part of all areas of today's society and has become a cornerstone of economic,social,and environmental prosperity.Its pivotal role means that sustainability has also influenced the innovation process.Over the last few decades,new innovationrelated concepts linked to sustainable development have emerged in the form of environmental,green,sustainable,and eco-innovations;nevertheless,technological and innovation developments still occur within the boundaries of an innovation system.Innovation systems possess unique characteristics that shape activities,actions,and decisions.The separate bodies of literature on eco-innovation and innovation systems are extensive;however,the status of the literature on the intersection of these two topics is less clear.This study provides an overview of the scientific literature in the area where ecoinnovation and innovation systems meet,and a bibliometric analysis shows that the joint study of eco-innovation and innovation systems is an unexplored knowledge field.Thus,the main authors and documents that provide the foundation of the literature on ecoinnovation and innovation systems were identified,and theoretical knowledge was grouped into four clusters according to thematic areas:Cluster 1 related to eco-innovation;Cluster 2 related to innovation systems;and Clusters 3 and 4,which include the elements that constitute and interact within eco-innovation systems.We hope that this study will encourage scholars to conduct research on eco-innovation systems,which could have positive implications for the design and implementation of new policies and instruments to achieve sustainable development.

Addressing inclusion,innovation,and sustainability challenges through the lens of economic geography:Introducing the hierarchical regional innovation system

The world is facing dramatic challenges related to environmental sustainability at an accelerating pace.In this context,the field of economic geography(EG)has been playing an important role in understanding both the socioeconomic and technological dimensions of these challenges,as it deals with a variety of complementary notions and perspectives.Departing from this lens,our aim is to explore a conceptual framework that can help us to understand environmental changes relating to multi-dimensional territorial development,notably in eco-nomic contexts where inequality is high,and stratification based on hierarchies regulate social and economic life.Based on the territory concept,we propose the original notion of a hierarchical regional innovation system(HRIS)that emphasises the pervasive role of hierarchies(powers)in regional innovation systems and illustrate its value with evidence and case studies from extant literature on sustainability transitions.The HRIS can help us understand and promote development paths considering the contribution of inclusive eco-innovations(another original conceptual amalgam).Through some empirical cases from other studies in low-carbon transitions,we show the application of the HRIS(and inclusive eco-innovation)framework.In conclusion,we provide incen-tives to explore new regional innovation systems,alongside the HRIS,adapted to different regions worldwide and centred on the inclusiveness of people and places.

The Use of Materials from Biomass as Construction Materials

The paper describes some studies conducted by the author, about low impact materials and, particularly, on alternative uses of biomass materials for building materials. Italy needs to develop renewable energy sources and agriculture offers many opportunities: biomass, vegetable residues for livestock breeding, food industry waste, organic waste, solid biofuels, biogas, and biofuels, will be the new renewable energy sources. Researches for promoting sustainable development, including chemistry field are increasing interest in the exploitation of vegetal biomass, in particular waste as a raw material for production of bio-products and biofuels. Not always, however, the use of waste materials such as biomass is the most appropriate, or in any case, the one with less energy expenditure. As ever more evident, in fact, the construction sector is approaching the possibility of using these materials for other purposes, combining the demands of saving natural resources, the need for energy efficiency in buildings and production processes.

Eco-innovative design approach： Integrating quality and environmental aspects in prioritizing and solving engineering problems

This study proposes an eco-innovative design process taking into consideration quality and environ- mental aspects in prioritizing and solving technical engineering problems. This approach provides a synergy between the Life Cycle Assessment （LCA）, the non- quality matrix, the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving （TRIZ）, morphological analysis and the Analytical Hier- archy Process （AHP）. In the sequence of these tools, LCA assesses the environmental impacts generated by the system. Then, for a better consideration of environmental aspects, a new tool is developed, the non-quality matrix, which defines the problem environmental point of view. to be solved first from an The TRIZ method allows the generation of new concepts and contradiction resolution. Then, the morphological analysis offers the possibility of extending the search space of solutions in a design problem in a systematic way. Finally, the AHP identifies the promising solution（s） by providing a clear logic for the choice made. Their usefulness has been demonstrated through their application to a case study involving a centrifugal spreader with spinning discs.

Does patents on environmental technologies matter for the ecological footprint in the USA? Evidence from the novel Fourier ARDL approach

The outcome of patents on environmental(POET)technologies on the EF in the USA has not been com-prehensively explored.Therefore,to close this breach in the literature,the present study discovers how patents on ecological technologies affect ecological footprint(EF)in the USA while regulatory for GDP and EC using the Fourier-based approaches.The conclusions of the present study reveal that POET are an important predictor of EF in the USA and cause a reduction in ecological deprivation in the long run;as expected,economic growth negatively affects environmental sustainability.The outcomes suggest that it is possible to resolve conflicts between the economy and the environment by using technological inno-vation.The USA government must reconsider its policy focus,particularly on coal energy sourcing and industrial energy,while continuing with heavy investments in its ambitious renewable energy technol-ogy development plan.Moreover,the government should continue to promote investments in environ-mental technologies.

Energy Conversion Factor for Gasoline Engines in Real-World Driving Emission Cycle

A precise energy conversion factor is required to define the impact of greenhouse gas emissions by gasoline-powered vehi-cles and policies that will guide the application of future eco-innovations.The current energy conversion factor adopted by many countries is based on the Willans line approach,initially proposed in 1888 for steam engines,later adapted for internal combustion engines.The actual energy conversion factor,which defines the energy conversion for drivers in real traffic,is missing.In this article,eight world-class engines are tested in an engine bench for the acquisition of specific fuel consumption 3D maps.Then,their energy conversion factors,calculated by dividing the energy output by the energy input,are simulated in real and urban traffic,acquired according to the real driving emissions(RDE)cycle.In addition,a reference vehicle is instrumented to measure the energy input(fuel flow)and the energy output(mechanical energy in the half axles)under the same RDE cycle standards.The results of both procedures are very similar,respectively,0.405±0.04 L/kWh for the simulation based on eight benchmark engines,and 0.392±0.04 L/kWh for the reference vehicle driven in RDE traffic conditions,with a 95%confidence interval.For turbocharged engines,the factor attained by the simulation is 0.395±0.04 L/kWh.The values of the energy conversion factor for gasoline engines got in this research are higher than those obtained through the Willans line approach,suggesting a new standard value of 0.405 L/kWh,replacing the current 0.264 L/kWh.It could substantially change the greenhouse gas emissions in a tank-to-wheel approach for the entire vehicle and add-on eco-innovations.

The industrial dynamics of water innovation:A comparison between China and Europe

The expansion of the green economy agenda has increased the attention on ecoinnovations globally,with issues related to water stress identified as one of the major bottlenecks for sustainable economic growth.Using evolutionary economic theory,this study investigates the industrial dynamics of the water sector,comparing China and Europe using patent data.This comparison feeds into the“catching up”literature,addressing the challenges of the“green economy”agenda in different regions in various stages of development.We highlight the neglected micro-dynamics of water innovation,investigating the roles of different innovators in the development of water technological trajectories,with a special focus on water innovations closely related to climate change adaptation and mitigation technologies.Public water innovators(universities)were found to be more important in China than in Europe.Similarities were also identified between Europe and China;big companies were found to be the main innovative leaders with no substantial changes documented over the timeframe investigated.Overall,the finding implies a rapid Chinese technological catching up of water technologies in the last three decades,where our research has pointed towards the role of redirection of Chinese policies with a stronger focus on sustainable development.The analysis,overall,sheds light on the state and nature of the globalizing green growth agenda.