Ucieczka z uwięzienia na ścieżce rozwojowej. Ekoinnowacje w transformacji regionu węglowego. Przykład Wielkopolski Wschodniej
Escaping from lock-in on the development path. Eco-innovations in the transformation of a coal region: The example of Eastern Greater Poland

Summary/Abstract: A new energy paradigm based on, among other things, the development of eco-innovationoffers an opportunity to escape from lock-in on the development path of coal regions. One such areais Eastern Greater Poland. The purpose of the article is to identify the mechanism of escape fromnegative lock-in on the development path of a coal region such as Eastern Greater Poland, and todetermine the dynamics and spatial differences in eco-innovations of manufacturing enterprises inthe region. Achieving the above goal was made possible by analyzing data from the Central StatisticalOffice on the adoption of eco-innovations in enterprises in Eastern Greater Poland. The research wasalso based on interviews on barriers to eco-innovation adoption conducted with representatives oflocal business, NGOs and institutions related to regional development. In addressing the first objec-tive of this article, it was challenging to determine definitively which mechanism of escaping pathdependency could be adopted in the case of the ongoing transformations in the coal region of EasternGreater Poland. It appears that this escape should rely on diversifying the economy towards tech-nologically related industries. In this scenario, the previously dominant industrial sectors graduallydecline, yet the key competencies associated with them continue to be utilized by newly emerging,technologically similar enterprises. Regarding the second objective of this article, a spatial patterncan be observed in the adoption of eco-innovations and the dynamics of this process. The hierarchyof settlement centers plays a crucial role in this process. As a result, the largest city in terms of pop-ulation – Konin – and the Konin County hold the leading position. At the same time, a high growthrate of eco-innovations was recorded in Turek County, which, as revealed by interviews and statisticaldata, is linked to a high level of entrepreneurship.

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