Patents and P2: Innovation and Technology Adoption for Environmental Improvements

Keith Brouhle (), Brad Graham () and Donna Ramirez Harrington ()
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Keith Brouhle: Grinnell College
Brad Graham: Grinnell College
Donna Ramirez Harrington: University of Vermont

Environmental & Resource Economics, 2023, vol. 84, issue 2, No 4, 439-474

Abstract: Abstract In this paper, we identify factors that influence adoption of two types of environmental innovations, environmental patents and pollution prevention (P2) activities, and then measure the resulting influence of each on the pollution profile of the firm. We find that environmental patenting is most strongly driven by the technological capacity of the firm, including prior environmental patenting and prior P2 adoptions. While P2 activities are also influenced by prior adoptions of P2, other factors play an important role, including environmental innovation opportunities, the regulatory environment, and firm-specific characteristics. In terms of environmental outcomes, we find that both environmental technologies reduce pollution. Due to strong knowledge accumulation effects of environmental patents, the long-term impact of an environmental patent is stronger and longer lasting than the long-term impact of a P2 practice.

Keywords: Environmental patents; GMM; Innovation; Knowledge accumulation; Pollution prevention; Technology adoption; Toxic releases (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O31 Q53 Q55 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s10640-022-00729-3

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