An analysis of eco-efficiency diffusion policy programs implementation in Japan: A case study of two European programs enhancing SMEs through environmental approaches

Abstract

As interests in the impacts of business activities on environment have been growing, environmental policy is now shifting from the “end of pipe” stage to the next stage, “cleaner production”, which factor in the life cycles, and social efficiency. Since the early 90's, the concept of cleaner production has been recognized and promoted. An increasing trend in environmental departments of state and municipal governments in Europe is that these departments have outgrown their restriction-based environmental measures, which was originally to regulate pollution. Their concept of environmental policy has shifted to management support programs that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) increase their competitiveness through improving their environmental efficiency. This paper discusses and analyzes the two environmental policy programs; the case of PIUS-Check, developed and implemented by die Effizienz Agentur NRW in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and the case of ÖKOPROFIT, developed and implemented in the city of Graz, Austria. Features of the programs and social context that nurtured the programs are discussed, compared and analyzed. Then this paper examines a case study of programs transfer to Tokai Region of Japan. The method employed is participatory action research in which one of the authors participated in the process of programs transfer, as a consultant and project coordinator. The goal of this paper is to extract the conveyed meanings of partnerships and the role of public sectors through the activities of local intermediaries such as agents need to play in diffusing eco-efficiency to SMEs. The findings of the case study include that the intermediaries of the policy programs implementation and diffusion functions as the engines of innovation; innovation of such eco-efficiency diffusion program, and eco-efficiency innovation at participating SMEs. Barriers to European environmental policy programs transfer to Japan, including policy administration structure are discussed.