Examples of “radical and systemic eco-innovation”

The OECD (www.oecd.org/sti/innovation/sustainablemanufacturing) is undertaking a project on Green Growth and Eco-innovation that aims to better understand how innovation can result in new, effective solutions to global challenges and to provide industry with tools and examples to improve their contributions to sustainable development.

If countries are to tackle climate change and other environmental challenges, they will need to engage in not only incremental improvement but also a broad range of eco-innovations in the medium to long term. As part of this project, we are therefore collecting interesting examples of “radical and systemic eco-innovation” in the business sector, with the aim to identify factors and policies that can support and facilitate the longer-term changes necessary to achieve green growth.

You are invitated to nominate eco-innovation examples with which you are familiar by filling in a template in English and send to: ecoinno@oecd.org

Per maggiori informazioni contattare paolo.masoni@enea.it

Radical or systemic eco-innovations may be simple but with a very wide range of applications, or may be highly complex involving many actors and a range of technological and non-technological changes in organisational and institutional arrangements. The boundary between incremental and radical or systemic eco-innovations is not necessarily clear-cut but examples of radical or systemic eco-innovations could include one or more of the following characteristics:

• Alternative solution: Innovation which comprises the introduction of alternative or entirely new solutions to existing products, processes, marketing methods or organisational structures that may significantly reduce environmental impacts.
• Significant environmental improvement: Innovation which is or has the potential to contribute to a significant reduction in overall environmental impacts.
• Significant economic impact: Innovation which has or could bring substantial economic gains, competitiveness, market acceptance and/or job creation as well as environmental improvements.
• Wider application: Innovation which involves the introduction of products, processes or new solutions at a wider scale to reduce environmental impacts such as a new transport system, a district energy system or eco-towns.
• New business models: Innovation which involves a radically different business model from the conventional ways of providing products and services, with the potential to significantly improve environmental sustainability.

Win-win innovations that combine improvements in environmental performance with opportunities for economic benefit are of particular interest, as these are of particular importance for green growth. More detailed explanation on this project and the criteria for nomination is provided in the attached document.

The first deadline for case nominations is 31 May 2010 but we would also welcome later submissions to add further interesting cases. You are also welcome to forward this request to your colleagues and other experts as far as you can.

Based on the nominations received, OECD Secretariat will select interesting examples and conduct in-depth study on their innovation processes jointly with experts nominated by participating governments.

The results will feed the forthcoming OECD Green Growth Strategy to be launched in mid-2011.

Experts are also invited to participate in a member-only community website which allows an exchange of information and views with other experts. Please e-mail to ecoinno@oecd.org if you would like to join this interactive website.

For other information, contact:

Tomoo Machiba (Mr)
Senior Policy Analyst (Project Manager, Sustainable Manufacturing & Eco-innovation)
Structural Policy Division (SPD)
OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry (DSTI)
2, rue André-Pascal
75775 Paris CEDEX 16 France
Tel : +33 (0)1 45 24 99 84 (direct)
Fax : +33 (0)1 44 30 62 57
tomoo.machiba@oecd.org
www.oecd.org/sti/innovation/sustainablemanufacturing