Abstract
In this chapter, we argue that policy-making aiming to achieve environmentally sustainable transitions of the economy is in need of a solid empirical evidence base. Conventional measurement concepts used for example by the EU based on sector-classifications deliver highly biased pictures. We propose measurement concepts based on the use of green skills and human capital, validate key assumptions of our concept and apply the concept to the four Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Our results show that indeed various versions of indicators based on green skills help predicting whether firms introduce environmental innovations, and this finding is robust across the four countries. Upon applying our measurement concept at the regional level, we find that the different Nordic countries show rather distinct patterns in their geographical distributions of these green skills, which may have implications for firms’ capabilities to introduce environmental innovations.
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Notes
- 1.
Definition found at www.oecd.org/greengrowth/ (checked May 13, 2020).
- 2.
See Østergaard et al. (2019) for more detailed information on databases and innovation survey.
- 3.
Crosswalk developed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/soc/soccrosswalks.htm
- 4.
The ILO’s international standard classification of occupations: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/isco/and http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/isco/docs/groupdefn08.pdf
- 5.
There are some differences between the uses of ISCO definitions in the different countries. See Østergaard et al. (2019) for the details of differences.
- 6.
A firm is defined as having green skills if the firm has at least one employee with green education, green occupation, and so on.
- 7.
For the detailed regression results, see Østergaard et al. (2019).
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Østergaard, C.R., Holm, J.R., Iversen, E., Schubert, T., Skålholt, A., Sotarauta, M. (2021). Environmental Innovations and Green Skills in the Nordic Countries. In: Sedita, S.R., Blasi, S. (eds) Rethinking Clusters. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61923-7_14
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