Industrial Ecology and Spaces of Innovation

Regional industrial ecology and resource productivity
- new approaches to analysis and communication

Joe Ravetz

Abstract

Recent policy initiatives on 'resource productivity' ('RP') have highlighted the importance of eco-efficiency and dematerialization as a driver for business competitiveness, risk minimization, shareholder value and others (Performance & Innovation Unit 2001: Leadbeater 2001). This follows several agendas on industrial ecology: these focus on the inter-dependence of material flows in industrial clusters; on the 'factor four' approach which focuses on the overall reductions in environmental impact, and on the 'eco-modernization' of industrial sectors. There is general consensus on these approaches, along with a realization that they represent different angles which may not coincide.

Research at the regional scale is throwing new light on these issues. A detailed analysis of the flow of minerals through the North West region showed how the various approaches above could be represented in different kinds of inputs to a resource flow model, where the institutional questions of responsibility and management practice were pre-dominant.

Meanwhile there is an ongoing series of resource flow / ecological footprint projects in regions around the UK. Current modeling work in the South East region is combining an economic input-output approach (production focused) with an ecological footprint assessment (demand-focussed). The design of 'scenario' inputs to such a model again highlights the importance of institutional arrangements and management practices, in assessing the scope for dematerialization at the level of regional policy and industrial sectors. This demonstrates the role of innovation in promoting industrial ecology as a component of 'regional sustainable development'.

This paper brings together previous projects and work in progress:

Section 2 is a summary and review of the case study on minerals flows
Section 3 develops an analytic framework for mapping 'resource productivity'
Section 4 applies this framework to a practical scenario modeling method and project in progress.
Section 5 draws out some key implications for regional level economic strategy and business innovation.

(Download paper - 437Kb pdf format)

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