Anticipating Environmental Burdens in Research and Innovation Projects—Application to the Case of Active and Healthy Ageing

Irene Monsonís-Payá, Tomás Gómez-Navarro and Mónica García-Melón
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Irene Monsonís-Payá: INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Cámino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valènci, Spain
Tomás Gómez-Navarro: Institute of Energy Engineering IIE, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valenci, Spain
Mónica García-Melón: INGENIO (CSIC-UPV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Cámino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valènci, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: In this paper; for research and innovation projects without environmental goals; a procedure is proposed to operationalize the anticipation and reflexivity of environmental concerns in the initial phases. By using the expert knowledge of specialists; we have first conducted a study to identify the general environmental topics relevant in any kind of research and innovation project not addressing the environment. In a second phase; a strategy is proposed to rank order the topics in terms of environmental relevance by means of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. To illustrate it; the case of Information and Communication Technologies for Active and Healthy Ageing is used because of its increasing importance; and because normal environmental targets are not considered. Results show that; in this case; the most relevant topic to be considered is the primary energy consumption by sources; followed by hazardous solid waste and consumption of non-renewable and scarce materials. According to the experts; these should be the main issues to be considered regarding the environmental sustainability of the outputs of such research and innovation projects. In conclusion; this paper contributes to a better understanding of how to promote a wider integration of environmental sustainability in research and innovation when environmental goals are not initially included.

Keywords: responsible innovation; environmental sustainability; ICT and active and healthy aging; AHP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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