engleski

The role of eco-innovation and transition towards a green economy in Croatia

Eco-innovation plays a crucial role in transforming the traditional linear model of production and consumption into a new circular model characterised by circular resource management. Environmental challenges and resource constraints have led to a demand for new technologies, solutions and products. The EU's Eco- Innovation Observatory defines eco-innovation as any new significantly improved products (goods or services) process, organisational change or marketing solution that reduces the use of natural resources (including materials, energy, water and land) and decreases the release of harmful substances across product's full lifecycle. Argued by European Commission, our economies have developed a linear model based on “take-make-consume-dispose” pattern of growth. Moving toward a more circular economy that uses a “take-make-use-take-make…” pattern of growth is essential to deliver the resource efficient economy established under the Europe 2020 Strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Although the need for eco-innovation is widely recognised within EU, eco- innovation performance indicates high variations across EU Member States. European Eco-Innovation Scoreboard groups countries into eco-innovation leaders, average eco-innovation performers and countries catching up in eco-innovation. Countries catching up in eco-innovations are mostly new Member States, without exception of Croatia. In order to evaluate the strength and weaknesses of eco- innovation performance in Croatia in period 2013 - 2016, 16 indicators are interpreted by five sub-indices (eco-innovation inputs, eco-innovation activities, eco-innovation outputs, resource efficiency and socio-economic outcomes) in the Eco-innovation Scoreboard forming aggregated Eco-innovation index. Recycling, as the most prominent and adopted pillar of circular economy is measured by recycling rate. Croatia’s environmental and socio-economic modest results indicate that eco-innovation development and transition into a new circular economy model in Croatia is at early stage. Due to a long period of economic recession, a general lack of adequate policies and competences, an inadequate waste management, a lack of regulatory framework and mechanisms for stimulating eco innovation and new technologies, all indicates Croatia’s lag in eco-innovation and in its transition towards a green economy.

eco-innovation, green economy, circular economy, recycling, Eco-innovation index

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