Strategies for eco-efficiency innovation

Description

In the global knowledge economy innovation is essential for the creation of wealth, new jobs and achieving societal goals. Not just technological innovation but also presentational innovation: the design of a product and values embedded in it. The importance of innovation, has been recognised by European policy makers. In March 2000, the Lisbon European Council formulated the goal for the EU to become “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion” by the year 2010. Environment was not mentioned. It was added at the Stockholm European Summit (spring 2001) as an extra consideration. The Lisbon strategy is followed by the strategy for sustainable development (EU-SDS) based on the decisions made at the European Council in Gothenburg (June 2002). The revised Lisbon strategy is based on three pillars: economic, social and environment. So far the environment has not become a supporting pillar of Lisbon.