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Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap: Engaging rural firms in the green economy

Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap: Engaging rural firms in the green economy. Felicity Kelliher & Leana Reinl RIKON Research Group Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland 18 th May 2015. The Green E conomy .

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Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap: Engaging rural firms in the green economy

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  1. Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap:Engaging rural firms in the green economy Felicity Kelliher & Leana Reinl RIKON Research Group Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland 18th May 2015

  2. The Green Economy • “an economy that results in improved human well-being and reduced inequalities over the long term, while not exposing future generations to significant environmental risks and ecological scarcities”(UNEP, 2011: 9).

  3. Research Question? • How to engage SMEs in the emerging green economy in order to develop untapped economic resources and facilitate sustainable rural development? • Ethos • Collegial approach to learner facilitation • Enable a research-informed model of practice • Pursue a policy-practice link among rural SMEs • Goal • Engage rural SMEs in the Green Economy

  4. How do we marry economy & environment in a rural context? Grow through Green?

  5. The green debate (Ireland) Policy reform ? GND initiative (‘green collar’ jobs) Drive for Eco-innovation

  6. A policy gap? Policy… Practice… Green-collar jobs? Translation from policy (EPA, 1993) to rural green initiatives has been slow. Still seeking ways & means to ‘decouple growth from natural capital depletion’ (OECD, 2011: 10). • EC (2007) objectives: • 20% reduction in total EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels; • 20% increase in energy efficiency by 2020; • Increase in EU consumption from renewable resources to 20% • Climate & Energy Package (EC, 2009) • Energy Efficiency Plan (EC, 2011) • OECD: Green Growth Strategy (2011)

  7. Literature Gap Renner et al. 2008 Kaufmann & Tödtling, 2002 Kelliher & Reinl, 2009 Rural SME Engagement in the Green Economy Input-Output Ethos Invest = green jobs Rural Collaboration (cross the borders) Challenge of rural input momentum Aylward, 2012 Koch et al. 2006 Miles & Tully, 2007 Da Graҫa Carvalho et al. 2011 Kucera, 2009 Renner et al. 2008 Döring & Schnellenbach, 2006 Walsh et al. 2012 Mariadoss et al. 2011 Green Innovation & Future Technology

  8. Green Innovation and Future Technologies (GIFT) SKILLS PROGRAMME GREEN JOBS

  9. Partner Complimentary Strengths Bangor University (Wales) UCD (Ireland) Waterford Institute of technology (Ireland) SME/Corporate Knowledge Transfer

  10. Gift Network: Purpose & Deliverables • Facilitate Connectivity • Provide training in specialist theme areas • Spreading knowledge on green practice Future technology Green Innovation

  11. The resultant goals… • Develop a comprehensive cross-border green knowledge/ innovation ‘ecosystem’ comprised of all rural stakeholders to facilitate the green agenda with a portfolio of studies and actions; • Provide technically-based training activities relating to business, the environment, climate change, energy, and waste management; • Facilitate greater linkages within and between the various disciplines in higher education institutions (HEIs) and rural industry; • Apply business activities which utilise the environment and can grow through green ways of working and new eco-products/ services.

  12. Geographical Focus • Wales

  13. GIFT and the Green Economy Annual showcase/ awards Blended learning

  14. GIFT and the Green Economy SKILLS PROGRAMME GREEN JOBS Annual showcase/ awards Blended learning

  15. This isn’t simple but it is rewarding

  16. Proposed Framework:Implications for policy • This research helped identify the core themes in interaction with the wider rural SME community. • Framework Value • Contemplates knowledge embodiment & organsiational innovativeness in the context of the green economy • role in transforming embedded knowledge into embodied knowledge • benefit of moving towards a sustainable green, smart economy. • Business evolution • green innovation feeds back out into a continuous community of practice cycle, facilitating the emergence of a stakeholder eco-system over time. • new era of eco-innovation and environmentally-friendly business operations

  17. Kelliher, F., Reinl, L. (eds). 2014, Green Innovation and Future Technology: Engaging Regional SMEs in the Green Economy. Palgrave Pivot, UK.

  18. Challenging the Rural Policy-Practice Gap:Engaging rural firms in the green economy Thank you for your time

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