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On Green Technology: A Framework for Evaluation

  • Conference paper
Innovation-Oriented Environmental Regulation

Part of the book series: ZEW Economic Studies ((ZEW,volume 10))

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Abstract

There is a complex interrelationship between technological change, economic growth and environmental risk/protection. Since the 1950s, at least, it has been clear that factors other than capital and labor must be responsible for most economic growth. Historical and anecdotal evidence suggests that the substitution of machines powered by fossil energy for human and animal labor must play a significant role in driving growth. On the other hand, consumption of fossil fuels and other extractive resources certainly constitutes one of the major sources of environmental pollution and damage.

An influential school of thought, promoted especially by the World Bank, argues that economic growth is actually a prerequisite for environmental protection, both because the latter is a ‘superior’ good — i.e. a luxury — desired mainly by the rich, and because advanced technology and wealth are needed for purposes of both prevention and abatement of environmental damage.

On closer scrutiny it is clear that technologies vary widely in both growth-creation potential and environmental risk. The question then arises: to what extent can these different aspects be anticipated and evaluated ex ante? This paper proposes a simple framework for such an evaluation methodology.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boulevard de Constance, European Instiut of Business Administration (INSEAD), 77305, Fontainebleau Cedex, France

    Robert U. Ayres

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  1. Robert U. Ayres
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Joint Research Centre Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, European Commission, W.T.C. Isla de la Cartuja, 41092, Sevilla, Spain

    Jens Hemmelskamp  & Fabio Leone  & 

  2. Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW), L7, 1, 68161, Mannheim, Germany

    Klaus Rennings

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© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Ayres, R.U. (2000). On Green Technology: A Framework for Evaluation. In: Hemmelskamp, J., Rennings, K., Leone, F. (eds) Innovation-Oriented Environmental Regulation. ZEW Economic Studies, vol 10. Physica, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-12069-9_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-12069-9_2

  • Publisher Name: Physica, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7908-1313-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-12069-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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