Environmental technology and responsible innovation

Question 1

Jevons’ Paradox? Polimeni and Polimeni, 2007

Answer 1

This correlation between increased natural resource consumption and increased efficiency.

Since all the inputs to economic production come from the environment, increased resource consumption and ecosystem destruction should be of concern.

Furthermore, the expenditure of natural resources to provide energy and other consumer goods is an irreversible process, worsening the human condition instead of improving human welfare as neoclassical theory would have one to believe.

Therefore, sustainable development policies need to be considered to end the continued excess consumption, beyond sustainable levels, of natural resources and the potential resulting conflicts.

Question 2

Iatridis and Schroeder, 2016:

Answer 2

Three types of responsibilities we distinguished:

1. contractual - high specificity
2. legal - medium specificity
3. moral - low specificity

We have also seen how initiative, responsiveness and inclusiveness can help fulfil legal responsibilities while potentially leading to faster and less contentious market entry.

Question 3

What is Responsible Innovation?

Answer 3

A transparent, interactive process by which societal actors and innovators become mutually responsive to each other with a view to the (ethical) acceptability, sustainability and societal desirability of the innovation process and its marketable products (in order to allow a proper embedding of scientific and technological advances in our society).
Nowadays, innovation alone is not enough to make stakeholders trust businesses.

Question 4

Principles of Responsible Innovation?

Answer 4

1. Ethical acceptability suggests that innovation outcomes need to be in line with widely accepted norms and values in society.
2. Sustainability focuses on environmental sustainability and eco-efficiency and promotes a responsible use of natural resources during the innovation processes.
3. Societal desirability proposes that innovation outcomes should contribute to the solution of key challenges facing humanity.

Question 5

Means to achieve Responsible Innovation outcomes?

Answer 5

• Anticipation: responsible innovation is predicated on the idea that it is possible, at least to some degree, to anticipate future outcomes of innovation and consequences (both intended and non-intended) for broader groups.
• Deliberation (inclusion): involving stakeholders in the innovation process
• Reflexivity: implies that not only the means of achieving particular innovation goals, but also the ends that are to be achieved, are reflected upon. To ensure that this happens, auditing and reviewing mechanisms are needed.
• Responsiveness: suggests that during this process innovators should respond to newly emerging knowledge and perspectives.

Question 6

Innovation steps?

Answer 6

1. Discovery - Anticipating any negative impact that might stem from production of the product. Before moving into next stage, these negative effects need to be identified.
2. Concept - These days you need to include the interests of wider external groups – both internal and external. These stakeholder preferences can conflict, need to choose which are most relevant.
3. Development – mechanisms to constantly reflect on actions and to prevent wrong doings from happening. Constant trial and error process, any evidence of negative impact then development should stop.
4. Launch

Question 7

Innovative examples:

Answer 7

• Saltwater Brewery “Edible Six Pack Rings”
• The fairphone
• A trash-eating water drone is about to clean the busiest port in Europe

Question 8

L’oreal case study

Answer 8

• Research and Innovation teams apply the principles of sustainable and responsible innovation on a daily basis.
• Product safety: global centre where teams know how to make very early (anticipation) and reliable predictions on the undesirable and beneficial effects of ingredients and products.
• Environmental respect: As early as 1995, the Group acquired an eco-toxicology laboratory. Innovation processes are in compliance (reflexivity) with the guidelines for eco-design that reduce the impact of products on the environment throughout their whole life cycle.
• Science and ethics advance together: L’Oréal ‘s researchers have successfully put scientific advances (responsiveness) e.g. tissue engineering.
• Towards fairer procurement: Solidarity Sourcing, has implemented a global procurement process for its ingredients in a global fair trade initiative guided by the expertise of The Body Shop brand. In the selection of suppliers (inclusion), it takes into account other dimensions such as protection of biodiversity, the fight against bio piracy, and the social and societal autonomy of local communities.
• Innovation adapted to global diversity: the group has made listening to consumers (Inclusion) with the ambition to create products adapted to everyone, according to individual needs, habits, environment, purchasing power.

Question 9

GM crops?

Answer 9

• attempt to increase food production
• scientists developed new types of wheat, rice and other crops
• with enough water, fertilisers and pesticides, gm crops produce more than unmodified
• might have harmful effects on humans/environment
• could see possible reduction in genetic diversity
• can reduce pesticide use
• farmers can make more money