The “Eco-innovative” Milieu: Industrial Ecology and Diversification of Territorial Economy

Abstract

Industrial ecology includes a set of practices aimed at reducing polluting industrial effluents and promotes the transition of the industrial system towards a viable and sustainable one. This notion is usually studied in terms of its functioning (organization of input and output flows, of cooperation between enterprises, etc.) and the environmental impacts that such an industrial organization entails. Based on the concepts of related variety and smart specialization, we approach this topic from a different angle, that is, to study its potential in terms of territorial economic development. This involves analyzing how industrial ecology, through the creation of an "eco-innovative" milieu [KAS, 17] can change the economic trajectory of a territory toward “smart” diversification.