Eco-efficiency has long been a concept: the intention of
reducing environmental impact while increasing environmental value.
Its origins are with the World Business Council for Sustainable
Development. However, in a globalized world with sustained economic
growth environmental degradation is threatening. Macro level
requirements on sustainability should be reflected in the
eco-efficiency of choices at a micro level, like on technologies,
supply chains and product systems. Eco-efficiency analysis has come
to fruition as a fully quantified method for analysis, linking to
specific domains of economic modelling, specific environmental
models, and several methods for integrating these two domains into
eco-efficiency scores. This eco-efficiency analysis can guide
choices in policy, business, and consumptions activities, all from
a single common background.
A central asset of eco-efficiency analysis is that it does not
depend on a specific evaluation of environmental impacts against
economic effects, avoiding the often disputed results of
neo-classical evaluation methods. For integrating the different
environmental scores several evaluation methods may be used
including those based on willingness-to-pay, panel procedures, and
public statements on policy goals. Each may have advantages, but in
line with the normative neutrality strived for in eco-efficiency,
these preference and value choices may be avoided to some extent.
This can be done either by taking a common denominator or by having
less demanding objectives, for instance focusing on efficiency of
measures only.
A substantial Japanese paper on Maximum Abatement Cost method
and a paper on revealed public preferences in The Netherlands
comprise the first section on methods. Next, there are four
sections on domains of application of eco-efficiency analysis. In
the Agriculture section, a case on conservation agriculture in
China is worked out, using input-output analysis. In the Industry
section, cases range from supply chain management to waste water
management and methods to speed up innovation. In the Products
& Consumption section, cases refer to overall household
performance, specific energy products and methods for upgradeable
product design. Finally, in the Recycling section, cases relate to
increasing the supply of secondary materials and to increasing
secondary materials use.
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