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This paper examines the influence of adopting resource efficiency actions, saving water, saving energy, using renewable energy, saving materials, minimizing waste, selling scrap, recycling, using durable products, promoting environmental responsibility, and offering green marketing products and services on the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). More specifically, we investigate specific resource efficiency actions and their impact on production costs, investment, the available support for product expansion, and the effect of encountered barriers on SME performance. We develop a theoretical framework based on stakeholder- and resource-based theories to serve as the foundation for this analysis. We use these theories to explain the link between eco-efficiency actions, firm performance, and ecological behavior, along with public policy and innovation. This study uses Flash Eurobarometer survey datasets FL342, FL381, FL426, and FL456, which cover SMEs across time and sectors in 28 EU countries. The data are analyzed through descriptive and ordered logit regression analysis, using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to test the relationship between the above variables and the parameters. In terms of practical implications, these findings are crucial in helping SMEs pursue sustainable development. According to the findings, SMEs lack information on how implementing eco-efficiency action affects their financial health and sustainable innovation. This study can provide valuable insights into how implementing eco-efficiency practices can positively impact a company’s bottom line, good health, and employees’ well-being and how SMEs can use this information to make more informed decisions. Additionally, the findings can help inform policy makers about how to better support SMEs in pursuing sustainable development.

Studies in disturbed, resource-rich environments often show that invasive plants are more productive than co-occurring natives, but with similar physiological tradeoffs. However, in resource-limited habitats, it is unclear whether native and invasive plants have similar metabolic constraints or if invasive plants are more productive per unit resource cost – that is, use resources more efficiently. Using a common garden to control for environment, we compared leaf physiological traits relating to resource investments, carbon returns, and resource-use efficiencies in 14 native and 18 nonnative invasive species of common genera found in Eastern North American (ENA) deciduous forest understories, where growth is constrained by light and nutrient limitation. Despite greater leaf construction and nitrogen costs, invaders exhibited greater instantaneous photosynthetic energy-use efficiency (PEUE) and marginally greater photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency (PNUE). When integrated over leaf lifespan (LL), these differences were magnified. Differences in efficiency were driven by greater productivity per unit leaf investment, as invaders exhibited both greater photosynthetic abilities and longer LL. Our results indicate that woody understory invaders in ENA forests are not constrained to the same degree by leaf-based metabolic tradeoffs as the native understory flora. These strategy differences could be attributable to pre-adaptation in the native range, although other explanations are possible

Material resource efficiency (MRE) is widely recognized as a key strategy for promoting responsible consumption and production. However, the impacts of MRE on environmental sustainability (ES), measured by load capacity factor (LCF), have not been fully elucidated in developing countries (DCs). Using a method of moments quantile regression (MMQR) approach, this study examines the effects of MRE on LCF across 116 DCs from 2000 to 2021, while controlling for country-specific heterogeneity. The findings indicate that MRE has a beneficial impact on the LCF across all quantiles. However, DCs with higher LCF benefit more from MRE improvements, as the MRE coefficient rises from 0.275 at the 10th quantile to 0.526 at the 90th quantile. Also, the role of MRE is more pronounced in DCs with better income and regulatory performance. The findings further implied that the effect of MRE on LCF is heterogeneous across different regions, with a positive role of MRE in DCs in Asia, Africa, and America to enhance LCF. The findings are consistent across several robustness analyses. Therefore, governments and policymakers in DCs should support eco-design and sustainable materials management, raise public awareness of responsible consumption, strengthen multi-stakeholder partnerships for efficient resource use, and adopt robust socio-economic and regulatory policies to improve MRE and promote LCF. Thus, the findings of this study present a framework for policy guidelines that facilitate efficient and environmentally friendly natural resource use in DCs, aligning with SDG 8.4 and SDG 12.

The efficient and sustainable management of forestry resources is crucial in ensuring economic and societal sustainability. The Chinese government has invested significantly in regulations, afforestation, and technology to enhance the forest resource efficiency, reduce technological disparities, and boost productivity growth. However, the success level of this undertaking is unclear and worth exploring. To this end, this study applied DEA-SBM, meta-frontier analysis, and the Malmquist productivity index to gauge the forest resource efficiency (FRE), regional technology heterogeneity (TGR), and total factor productivity growth (MI) in 31 Chinese provinces for a study period of 2001–2020. Results revealed that the average FRE was 0.5430, with potential growth of 45.70%, to enhance the efficiency level in forestry resource utilization. Anhui, Tibet, Fujian, Shanghai, and Hainan were found to be the top performers in forestry utilization during the study period. The southern forest region was ranked highest, with the highest TGR of 0.915, indicating advanced production technologies. The average MI score was 0.9644, signifying a 3.56% decline in forestry resource productivity. This deterioration is primarily attributed to technological change (TC), which decreased by 5.2%, while efficiency change (EC) witnessed 1.74% growth over the study period. The Southern Chinese forest region, indicating an average 3.06% increase in total factor productivity, ranked highest in all four regions. Guangxi, Tianjin, Shandong, Chongqing, and Jiangxi were the top performers, with prominent growth in MI. Finally, the Kruskal–Wallis test found a significant statistical difference among all four regions for FRE and TGR.

Understanding farm-level efficiencies of resource use is critical in comparisons of the sustainability of aquaculture production systems. We developed a set of practical resource-use efficiency metrics to calculate and compare resource-use efficiency with resource-cost efficiency across major species and production systems in US aquaculture. Results showed that no one production system used all resources most efficiently. Intensive pond production of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus demonstrated the greatest efficiency in the use of water, energy, labor, management, and capital resources, while RAS production was most efficient in terms of land and feed use. Among the wide array of pond scenarios examined, more intensive scenarios generally were more efficient in terms of several metrics, but economic sustainability also depends upon business models that effectively meet differing demand requirements of customers. Thus, less intensive production systems were economically sustainable in areas with relatively abundant land and water resources available at lower cost. Labor efficiencies varied widely across scenarios analyzed. Given increasing concerns related to the availability of labor for aquaculture farming in the USA, greater attention to the efficiency of labor on farms is warranted. The metrics used were aligned with common farm management tools (e.g. enterprise budgets) that allow for ease of use by farms and researchers to assess effects on comparative resource-use efficiencies of new farming practices and technologies under development.

Green transition is in the core of the European policy agenda to achieve the ambitious goal of climate neutrality following the launch of the European Green Deal. The cornerstone of the new growth strategy of Europe is resource efficiency which focuses on shifting to a more sustainable production paradigm by conserving scarce resources and by prioritizing enhanced environmental performance. Scattered efforts to investigate the drivers of resource efficiency measures have shed light on the key drivers, however, those consider resource efficiency measures in isolation neglecting for feedback loops influencing green transition. Therefore, we develop a conceptual framework to study green transition as a system of resource efficiency measures affected by feedback loops, path dependence, green technologies, and green policy tools. We mobilize the analysis by devising a unique balanced panel covering the EU-28 from 2010 through 2019, including policy efforts paving the way for green transition. Econometric results based on a system of fractional probit models, indicate that resource efficiency measures are intertwined via feedback loops, especially in the case of environmental efficiency. Green technologies affect green transition, however, rebound effects emerge in the case of energy efficiency. Past performance affects current levels pushing towards divergence. Evidence suggests that green taxation fosters energy efficiency whereas hinders environmental efficiency. The asymmetric operation of feedback loops and green taxation on energy and environmental efficiency highlights that horizontal policies hinder rather than foster green transition. This study contributes to SDGs 7, 12, 13 and 16.

The aim of the study is to deep dive into the potential of green entrepreneurship and its drivers in a time of multiple challenges when green growth seeks to reconcile economic and sustainable development goals. The need for responsible business models has become evident in recent years, and companies that offer green products or services are creative, eco-friendly growth incubators and important economic actors that can change the future of society. We used a logistic regression model for 7326 companies from 36 European countries to identify what influences the decision to go green, including supply and demand factors, measures for resource efficiency and targeted policies. We found that the company's age, its financial performance, the country's level of development, as well as the incentive measures have a significant potential of stimulating green entrepreneurship. Our results highlight the overwhelming importance of financing. Firms in less developed countries face difficulties in developing green products and services, so support programs are needed to build green entrepreneurship in some regions. Many entrepreneurs in less developed countries are highly educated, creative, and innovative, so they can successfully run sustainable business models if the transfer of good practices is accompanied by an infusion of capital.

This study explored the size and potential of green employment for circular economy (CE) in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the European Union, and investigated the role of green jobs and skills for the implementation of CE practices. The data were collected in a Eurobarometer survey, and refer to resource efficiency, green markets, and CE procedures. Lack of environmental expertise is one of the factors that might be perceived as an obstacle when trying to implement resource-efficiency actions. Previous research has shown that, although resource-efficiency practices are adopted by firms in all European countries, there are differences both within and between countries. The analysis of the determinants of green behavior by European SMEs was completed by a study of heterogeneity across firms and within countries with a multilevel latent class model, a hierarchical clustering method. A general important observation is that having no workers dedicated to green jobs is strongly correlated to the probability of adopting resource-efficiency practices, while perceiving the need of extra environmental skills has a positive effect on the intention to implement actions in the future. Other characteristics of the firms play a significant impact on resource efficiency: in general, older and bigger firms, with larger yearly turnover, are more prone to implement actions.

This paper contributes to analyze the relationship between firms’ recourse to different types of external support and adoption of environmental sustainability practices. To this aim, we consider both direct financial support and indirect support, in the form of advice and consulting services, upon which the firm relies on in its efforts to be more resource efficient. The empirical analysis uses data on 6595 manufacturing firms from 35 European countries, taken from the third and fourth waves of the Flash Eurobarometer survey “Small and Medium Enterprises, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets”. Our empirical findings suggest that firms using external financing and external advice are more likely to implement greening investments and practices. Moreover, we provide strong empirical evidence that external support significantly contributes to increase the benefits from the adoption of resource efficiency actions in terms of production cost reduction. This study further contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the heterogenous effects of direct and indirect external support on the environmental sustainability actions of both SMEs and large firms.

No species can maximize growth, reproduction and competitive ability across all environments, so the success of invasive species is habitat-dependent. Nutrient-rich habitats often experience more invasion than resource-poor habitats, a pattern consistent with traits generally associated with successful invaders (high growth rates, early reproduction and many offspring). However, invaders do colonize resource-poor environments, and the mechanisms that allow their success in these systems are poorly understood. Traits associated with resource conservation are widespread among species adapted to resource-poor environments, and invasive species may succeed in low-resource environments by employing resource conservation traits such as high resource-use efficiency (RUE; carbon assimilation per unit of resource). We investigated RUE in invasive and native species from three habitats in Hawaii where light, water or nutrient availability was limiting to plant growth. Here we show that across multiple growth forms and broad taxonomic diversity invasive species were generally more efficient than native species at using limiting resources on short timescales and were similarly efficient when RUE measures were integrated over leaf lifespans. Our data challenge the idea that native species generally outperform invasive species under conditions of low resource availability, and suggest that managing resource levels is not always an effective strategy for invasive species control.