Eco-Innovation Performance of the Polish Economy in the European Union Context
Keywords:
eco-innovation, eco-innovation index, the European Union, barriers to eco-innovationAbstract
The article analyses and assesses the level of eco-innovation in the Polish economy in comparison with other European Union countries and identifies the main barriers and directions for supporting the development of eco-innovation in Poland. The hypothesis tested was that Poland’s position in the Eco-Innovation Index (Eco-IS) and its eco-innovative performance compared to the EU average are mainly influenced by insufficient government spending on R&D as well as research and development in the fields of environment and energy. Based on a detailed analysis of the degree and dynamics of changes in the Eco-Innovation Index (EII) for EU countries in 2014–2024 and its structure, an assessment of 12 sub-indicators in the EU and Poland in 2024 showed that in the 10-year period under review, Poland improved its score from 50.2 to 69.7, which indicates a 39% increase in the index value and a move up by one position in the ranking (from 26th to 25th place). Despite the increase, the country’s ranking position improved only marginally, which reveals that other countries intensified their efforts in the field of eco-innovation. As a result, Poland did not move closer to the top-ranked countries and continues to rank at the bottom of the EU list. The authors identify insufficient R&D expenditure (% of GDP) as well as insufficient government funding and spending on research and development in the fields of environment and energy as the main reasons. The proposed increase in R&D expenditure in relation to GDP as a means of reducing barriers to the growth of eco-innovation in the Polish economy should be correlated with the development of eco-innovative investments and implementations, while simultaneously sustaining high levels of human capital.
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