Abstract (may include machine translation)
Industrial ecology is an inter- and transdisciplinary approach to (un)sustainability, which understands economic systems as embedded in their natural environments. Its concepts and tools are highly compatible with ecological economics. On the one hand, industrial ecology studies the ecology of industrial systems: Because industrial systems have a metabolism, they can be examined using tools such as material and energy flow accounting, substance flow analysis, and life-cycle accounting. On the other hand, industrial ecology examines ecological systems from the perspective of industry: Based on the notion of biomimicry or industrial symbiosis, natural designs and processes are identified that might inspire more sustainable industrial systems. Although industrial ecology is a diverse field, much of the research therein is explicitly dedicated to generating knowledge for socio-ecological transformations, an endeavor which requires pushing the boundaries of the field, especially in recognizing the role of actors and institutions involved and the power relations between them.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Elgar Encyclopedia of Ecological Economics |
Editors | Emilio Padilla Rosa, Jesús Ramos-Martín |
Publisher | Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. |
Pages | 309-312 |
Number of pages | 4 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781802200416 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781802200409 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 28 Sep 2023 |
Keywords
- Environmental accounting
- Process design
- Resource flows
- Sustainability research