Innovation Systems and Environmental Technologies

Promotion of environmental technologies is one way to achieve the dual goals of maintaining competitiveness in a dynamic and knowledge-based economy while integrating environmental consideration in this process. This report synthesizes the findings of a two-year research project on Green Market and Cleaner Technologies - Leading Nordic Innovation and Technological Potential for Future Markets. The study examines three activities crucial for fostering innovation - the creation, transfer and pooling of knowledge, the access to resources and the formation of markets - found in selected case studies of various environmental innovations that took place in three industrial sectors highly relevant to the Nordic countries - buildings, pulp and paper and mobile phones. It discusses different issues affecting the three activities, and analyses how various types of environmental and innovation policies have influenced the three activities. Analysing the past experiences, the study seeks to indicate types of interventions that may be useful/needed in enhancing the respective activities in different industry settings. ,It further suggests how the Nordic countries, with their strong knowledge base available at their educational institutions, might contribute to the furthering of the EU Environmental Technologies Action Plan (ETAP).