Publication: Greening Global Value Chains : Innovation and the International Diffusion of Technologies and knowledge
Date
2013-05
ISSN
Published
2013-05
Author(s)
Glachant, Matthieu
Dussaux, Damien
Ménière, Yann
Dechezleprêtre, Antoine
Abstract
Using novel data on patents, trade of
equipment goods, and foreign direct investments and insights
from the economic literature, the paper seeks to lay out the
state of knowledge on the role of innovation and the
diffusion of technologies in the greening of global value
chains as well as some of the main policy issues. A special
emphasis is put on developing countries -- distinguishing
emerging economies and least-developed countries -- and on
climate-mitigation technologies. Emerging economies are
already reasonably well integrated in the global economy. As
a consequence, technologies flow in through the imports of
capital goods and local investments by multinational
enterprises owning technologies. Pushing further technology
transfer requires strengthening intellectual property
rights, lowering barriers to trade and investments and
improving technological absorptive capacities. In contrast,
their role in innovation is limited. Standard tools of
innovation policy - public research and development, public
support to private research and development, better access
to finance - should develop. But studies also suggest that
governments should introduce more stringent environmental
policies with proper enforcement at home to go beyond the
adoption of foreign technologies. The situation of
least-developed countries is very different: they do not
import green technologies and low barriers to trade and
foreign direct investment or strict intellectual property
rights are unlikely to trigger technology transfer. In these
countries, the focus should be on building technological capacities.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Glachant, Matthieu; Dussaux, Damien; Ménière, Yann; Dechezleprêtre, Antoine. 2013. Greening Global Value Chains : Innovation and the International Diffusion of Technologies and knowledge. Policy Research Working Paper;No. 6467. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/15600 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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