Resource Productivity and Eco-Innovation Convergence in the Service of Sustainability. Evidence from the EU-28

Chatzistamoulou, Nikos and Koundouri, Phoebe (2022): Resource Productivity and Eco-Innovation Convergence in the Service of Sustainability. Evidence from the EU-28. Published in:

Abstract

The European Green Deal prioritizes green growth through resource efficiency and eco-innovation to achieve the transition in a sustainable and inclusive growth orbit. To monitor progress in such endeavor the EU Resource Efficiency Scoreboard was launched. Focusing on the resource productivity, which is the main sustainability development indicator and policy evaluation tool for Europe and the eco-innovation performance of the EU-28 over a twenty-year period, from 2000 though 2019, we explore convergence patterns and club formation. Descriptive analysis via growth rates of the resource productivity and eco-innovation indicates productivity differentials among the countries giving rise to heterogeneity groups. Econometric results using convergence algorithms advocate in favor of convergence for both variables. However, convergence clubs surface highlighting that there is heterogeneity to consider when designing policies to promote sustainability transition to ensure that no one is left behind serving the priority of inclusive and sustainable growth.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Resource Productivity, Eco-Innovation, Sustainability, Convergence, Technological Heterogeneity, European Green Deal
• Subjects: O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O1 - Economic Development; O - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth > O3 - Innovation ; Research and Development ; Technological Change ; Intellectual Property Rights

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