ECOSERVICES
Ecologically-oriented services such as leasing, renting, pooling and sharing, also called Eco-Services, where the emphasis is placed on the sale of product use rather than the product itself, seem to offer promising innovation and environmental impact reduction potentials. Such services not only allow for a more intensive use of products, but providers could also establish complete product life cycles for the products in question. At the same time opportunities are laid to create new commercial enterprises, increase value added above production and distribution, and so create jobs.
Up to now, however, little is known of how these concepts can be implemented in practice and what the consequences of such a structural adjustment would be for firms. Furthermore, the options open to market participants have to be explored, as do the environmental impact reduction potentials, possible conflicting aims, and, finally, with which instruments ecologically-oriented concepts could be promoted.
The project systematically investigated these questions with reference to the consumption sector. Special attention is placed on analysis of selected fields of need (washing, cleaning, cooking, entertainment, gardening, do-it-yourself, and mobility and leisure time) and the highlighting of optimisation potentials and development perspectives for new use concepts on the basis of commercial services.
The project aims are:
- Inventory and analysis of development perspectives for leasing, renting, pooling and sharing of consumer goods
- Analysis of restricting and promoting factors in the implementation of new user concepts
- Assessment of options for market participants
- Estimation of environmental impact reduction potentials of leasing, rent, pooling and sharing concepts.
- Demonstration of initial methods of capturing the potentials of Eco-services.
Output of the project includes reports for
Germany
,
Austria
, The Netherlands and
Spain
, which will allow for a comparison of the different baseline conditions of the countries and the trends in ecological services. The study was based on case studies and analysis of market participants of both the supply and the demand side. The results were condensed in scenarios. On this basis the innovation and environmental impact reduction potentials were depicted and recommended actions for economic and political decision-makers highlighted.
The project is promoted by the European Commission, DG XII Science, Research and Development, within the framework of the program for Research and Development: "Environment and Climate”. Duration of the project is 24 months (from 1.4.1998 to 31.3. 2000).
