Greening of the innovation system? Opportunities and obstacles for a path change towards sustainability - the case of Germany

Abstract

A sustainable economy requires a change in the current path of economic development. The political and societal task is a transition to a new path consisting of more environmentally friendly technologies, products and consumption patterns. Environmentally beneficial technological innovations are poised to play a key role in this transition. However, an analytical approach to meet these challenges should go beyond the conventional analysis of innovative effects of environmental policy instruments and focus on the "greening" of the innovation system as a whole. After clarification of the conceptual and measurement issues, the economic and political opportunities and obstacles of such a greening process in a globalised world economy are explored. The paper draws on an analysis and assessment of the greening of the German innovation system and a sectoral case study in the German automobile industry.