Technological Innovation for Environmental Sustainability and Quality of Life

The purpose of this chapter is to analyse the effects of environmental innovation on population well-being. In particular, the theoretical idea of the manuscript stems from Schumpeter’s idea of destruction and creation as the source of economic development. Since there are few studies investigating the impact of innovation on people quality of life, we try to fill this gap. The findings of the investigation could provide theoretical insights in terms of policy implications to support a more sustainable production. This chapter is of interest for two reasons: firstly, we try to identify main source of R&D spillovers. Secondly, we investigate the role of absorptive capacity in the sustainable development process. The theoretical predictions suggest a significant impact of R&D spillovers and absorptive capacity on environmental sustainability