The EIO will provide an integrated information source on eco-innovation for policy makers, innovation service providers and enterprises, especially SMEs. It is part of the EU initiative "Europe Innova" and is to support the Lead Market Initiative (LMI), ETAP and the EEA's Environmental Technology Atlas. The EIO elaborates data based analyses and scenarios supported by a pervasive definition of eco-innovation - with a focus on increasing resource productivity. It is also intended to indentify new lead markets by means of analysing markets, obstacles and innovation systems.
More specifically, the EIO will:
- develop an eco-innovation scoreboard comparing eco-innovation performance of EU countries at the micro, meso and macro levels;
- provide users with a vision of eco-innovation, more specifically by identifying possible new lead markets using techniques such as horizon scanning, foresight, eco-innovation road-maps, etc.;
- produce thematic & country reports on new markets and comparisons of barriers and drivers of eco-innovation;
- publish a flagship annual report, also accessible in an interactive manner to allow in-depth investigation at low cost by users;
- spread knowledge via a web platform & training modules for innovation service providers.
The Wuppertal Institute is responsible for the annual report and intensively participating in the data analyses and the design of scoreboards.