Arbejdsrapport fra Miljøstyrelsen 33/2006 – Det Miljøteknologiske Innovationssystem

Det Miljøteknologiske Innovationssystem

Summary and conclusions

There is increasing focus on the need for integration of environmental policy and innovation policy. This report describes a conceptual framework for understanding developments in environmental technologies and products through an innovation system approach. The assumption behind this is that there are considerable market-economical as well as environmental potentials in strengthening the parts of the national innovation systems that have to do with environmental technologies thereby improving its performance and contributing to the development of a ‘green’ innovation system. Ultimately, integration of environmental policy and innovation policy would mean making innovation and technology development go hand in hand with environmental protection and environmental safety instead of being in opposition.

An innovation system is defined as the ‘elements and relationships, which interact in the production, diffusion and use of new and economically useful knowledge’. The main part of the conceptual framework described is a model of the innovation system. In this model, knowledge production and learning processes around industrial products in companies and on markets are the central aspect. The knowledge processes are not limited to a single company but shall be seen in a broader institutional set up including not only subcontractors and customers in the product supply chain but also knowledge networks and knowledge institutions such as universities, educational institutions, innovation support institutions, for example, research parks and institutions of technology diffusion and mediation, etc.

Frame conditions for the knowledge and learning processes are the structures for competition, labour markets, and capital; the school and educational system; and legislation and regulation structures within number of other areas. Also, the information technology infrastructure and the practices of use can be seen as part of the frame conditions of the knowledge and learning processes in the innovation system. Differences in competitive strength and development capacity between countries are due to differences in the specific organisation of the learning and knowledge processes in the national innovation system and differences in the institutional set-up. This includes not least differences in characteristics of industrial sectors, specific competence clusters, communities of practice, etc. Though many markets and knowledge networks are international in character, the national and socio-cultural location usually play a decisive role.

The environmental dimension of the model of the national innovation system appears firstly on the value level, i.e., in visions about a high green innovation capacity and technology development oriented in an environmentally friendly direction. In this, the concept of eco-efficiency is central. It describes the strategic practice of continuously considering relative improvements and aggravations in how much value one gets from a product per unit of environmental impact. Secondly, the environmental dimension appears through a distinction between four classes of environment technologies. The classes are 1) add-on technologies (pollution and resource handling technologies); 2) integrated technologies (cleaner technologies and cleaner products); 3) eco-efficient system technologies; and 4) eco-efficient organisational system innovations. The two latter imply radical changes in existing production and consumption systems. It is argued that eco-efficient system technologies and organisational system innovations are better, environmentally speaking, than the former two. However, it is also clear that all four types of environmental technologies are needed if the environmental problems shall be handled. Different measures and policy instruments might be needed in connection with development of the different types of environment technology.

The conceptual framework is in the present report primarily described theoretically and in general terms. It is, however, exemplified with a number of Danish cases: Nanotechnology in catalysis is an example of add-on technology. Closed systems of water and material flows are an example of integrated technology in the paper industry. The wind power technology is an example of successful eco-efficient system technology having origins also in alternative technology development and not only in the traditional innovation communities of the established industry sector and research institutions. Out-phasing of lead in the construction sector is an example of environmental technology development where commercial developments and public regulation go hand in hand.

An environment policy inspired from the approach of national systems of innovation shall focus on environmentally related bottlenecks and coordination needs in the existing innovation system. The aim is to make the many different learning activities, institutions, and frame conditions play efficiently together all-in-all concerning the environment perspectives. Thereby, it shall be ensured that the environmental potentials can be exploited continuously and in the long run.

For further development of the policy efforts on the environmental technologies innovation system, it is suggested that a comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of the Danish system is carried out. This would include more systematic and detailed case studies within different industrial sectors and different areas of environment technology. Also, examinations are needed of the conditions for and the contents of knowledge networks and of environment as subject in the system of education and research institutions. Finally, the report recommends further examination of policy regimes and analysis of the relationship between different policy efforts and their implications for environmental innovation.