Keywords
eco-innovations
European Green Deal
Eastern Greater Poland
How to Cite
Abstract
A new energy paradigm based on, among other things, the development of eco-innovation offers an opportunity to escape from lock-in on the development path of coal regions. One such area is Eastern Greater Poland. The purpose of the article is to identify the mechanism of escape from negative lock-in on the development path of a coal region such as Eastern Greater Poland, and to determine the dynamics and spatial differences in eco-innovations of manufacturing enterprises in the region. Achieving the above goal was made possible by analyzing data from the Central Statistical Office on the adoption of eco-innovations in enterprises in Eastern Greater Poland. The research was also based on interviews on barriers to eco-innovation adoption conducted with representatives of local business, NGOs and institutions related to regional development. In addressing the first objective of this article, it was challenging to determine definitively which mechanism of escaping path dependency could be adopted in the case of the ongoing transformations in the coal region of Eastern Greater Poland. It appears that this escape should rely on diversifying the economy towards technologically related industries. In this scenario, the previously dominant industrial sectors gradually decline, yet the key competencies associated with them continue to be utilized by newly emerging, technologically similar enterprises. Regarding the second objective of this article, a spatial pattern can be observed in the adoption of eco-innovations and the dynamics of this process. The hierarchy of settlement centers plays a crucial role in this process. As a result, the largest city in terms of population – Konin – and the Konin County hold the leading position. At the same time, a high growth rate of eco-innovations was recorded in Turek County, which, as revealed by interviews and statistical data, is linked to a high level of entrepreneurship.
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