Beyond Green Innovation: The Next Step

Abstract

Sustainable development involves complex issues to be considered, and great challenges to be overcome in the short and long term. Its impact depends on the changes the means of production and consumption of goods have suffered lately. To start with there are important differences regarding sustainable and “green” consumption that should be considered; and yet research on most sustainable consumption is still considering consumption in detriment of its relationship to other relevant frameworks. In addition, these studies emerged from economic and engineering perspectives only, when there is a clear need for a more interdisciplinary approach based on social, cultural, anthropologic, psychological and philosophic foundations. In fact the quest for sustainability needs to consider the basic issue of consumer patterns and hence relates to what is now called green. In the end the final question is: In case Prosperity without growth may be possible, how this may be attained to satisfy global needs?