Economics Of Industrial Ecology

Studies that integrate scientific, technological, and economic dimensions of industrial ecology and material flows. The use of economic modeling techniques in industrial ecology research provides distinct advantages over the customary approach, which focuses on the physical description of material flows. The thirteen chapters of Economics of Industrial Ecology integrate the natural science and technological dimensions of industrial ecology with a rigorous economic approach and by doing so contribute to the advancement of this emerging field. Using a variety of modeling techniques (including econometric, partial and general equilibrium, and input-output models) and applying them to a wide range of materials, economic sectors, and countries, these studies analyze the driving forces behind material flows and structural changes in order to offer guidance for economically and socially feasible policy solutions. After a survey of concepts and relevant research that provides a useful background for the chapters that follow, the book presents historical analyses of structural change from statistical and decomposition approaches; a range of models that predict structural change on the national and regional scale under different policy scenarios; two models that can be used to analyze waste management and recycling operations; and, adopting the perspective of local scale, an analysis of the dynamics of eco-industrial parks in Denmark and the Netherlands. The book concludes with a discussion of the policy implications of an economic approach to industrial ecology.

Industrial Ecology (IE) is an emerging multidisciplinary field. University departments and higher education programs are being formed on the subject following the lead of Yale University, The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Leiden University, University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Carnegie Mellon University, University of California at Berkeley, Institute for Superior Technology in Lisbon, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule (ETH) Zürich, and The University of Tokyo. IE deals with stocks and flows in interconnected networks of industry and the environment, which relies on a basic framework for analysis. Among others, Input-Output Analysis (IOA) is recognized as a key conceptual and analytical framework for IE. A major challenge is that the field of IOA manifests a long history since the 1930s with two Nobel Prize Laureates in the field and requires considerable analytical rigor. This led many instructors and researchers to call for a high-quality publication on the subject which embraces both state-of-the-art theory and principles as well as practical applications.

Presenting a new way of looking at environmental policy, this book explores the relationship between ecological economics and industrial ecology. Adopting a holistic approach, it contributes greatly to the development of a consistent body of work.

'The editors of this handbook have brought together 58 of the world's greatest environmental systems experts. These professionals have, in 46 specific topic headings, divided into six major sections, provided very insightful information and guidance as to what industrial ecology entails, how it can be implemented, and its benefits . . . a very valuable tool . . . This book provides essential information to mid- and top-level management that can enable industry to make more prudent business decisions regarding the manufacturing of its products.' - Robert John Klancko, Environmental Practice Industrial ecology is coming of age and this superb book brings together leading scholars to present a state-of-the-art overviews of the subject.

How can we design more sustainable industrial and urban systems that reduce environmental impacts while supporting a high quality of life for everyone? What progress has been made towards reducing resource use and waste, and what are the prospects for more resilient, material-efficient economies? What are the environmental and social impacts of global supply chains and how can they be measured and improved? Such questions are at the heart of the emerging discipline of industrial ecology, covered in Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology. Leading authors, researchers and practitioners review how far industrial ecology has developed and current issues and concerns, with illustrations of what the industrial ecology paradigm has achieved in public policy, corporate strategy and industrial practice. It provides an introduction for students coming to industrial ecology and for professionals who wish to understand what industrial ecology can offer, a reference for researchers and practitioners and a source of case studies for teachers.

In contrast to the linear "take-make-dispose" model of resource consumption, a new industrial model is proposed in the form of a circular economy. This model aims to optimize the use of resources and to reduce or eliminate waste, and is based on re-use, repair, ecodesign, industrial ecology, sustainable supply and responsible consumption. Industrial ecology and short supply chains can contribute – particularly on a territorial scale – to the emergence of a real sustainable development. This book develops these concepts and presents experiments that are taking place in France and other countries, in addition to an integrated model which details the mechanisms through which industrial ecology and short supply chains can generate economic, social and environmental profits. The possible issues and obstacles facing these new practices are also analyzed, in order to develop the outline of an adapted management and governance which will enable them to be fully realized.

Technology today is undergoing a rapid, unprecedented, and accelerating period of transformation. The implications of climate change, underpinned by geopolitics, for scientists and engineers are profound, as they and their societies attempt to harness these new technologies to address critical global environmental challenges, often without a full understanding of the long-term consequences. This textbook is designed to fill the gaps at a time of rapid changes in technology and the global environmental to develop sustainability situations.Written by world-renowned experts, this book comprehensively covers the broad spectrum of topics in sustainability science — industrial ecology, economic geology, environmental change, recycling and reuse, and sustainability — and brings readers up to date on the state-of-the-art. A feature of the book is the inclusion of worked examples in the text. Industrial ecology utilizes life cycle assessment (LCA), material flow analysis (MFA), matrix analytics, in-use stock derivation, and other mathematical and analytic tools; appropriate chapters include worked examples to illustrate their use, to develop reader-familiarity with the tools.

Examines strategic options for reducing wastes and pollution, and increasing the productivity of materials using an industrial ecology perspective. The volume analyzes 13 generic cases, beginning with four families of metals (aluminium, chromium, copper and zinc), several families of chemicals (phosphates and flourine; sulfur-based, nitrogen-based and chlorine-based), silicon and several different types of waste. The book also discusses opportunities for creating industrial ecosystems by deliberate design which, using new processes in some instances, would facilitate the use of low value by-products as feed stocks for useful products. Apart from surveying the technological possibilities, the book also considers the public interest, institutional barriers and the range of possible alternatives that might be applicable.