Abstract:

Environmental sustainability is a crucial issue for future surviving and quality of life. Decoupling economic growth from environmental sustainability would be useful and desirable; and even better would be to join the pathways of these two values. A linear eco-efficient cradle to grave approach should be changed with a circular cradle to cradle logic. Using the instrument of factor analysis, this paper studies the approach of private firms toward eco-efficiency and sustainability. The results of our analysis show that private firms tend to adopt three different approaches. Two of them are based on eco-inefficient production technologies while the third approach privileges investments in R&D and more efficient production technologies that produce less waste and less GHG emissions.