Abstract
In the past, a lot of research has been carried out about eco-innovation, sustainable development (SD) and the associated indicators but this research has rarely been taken into practice. Economic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) were never designed to be comprehensive measures of prosperity and well-being. RIO+20 discussions have resulted in the call for development of a possible set of indicators to measure progress on Sustainable Development Goals. The EU Beyond GDP initiative is about developing indicators that are as clear and appealing as GDP, but more inclusive of environmental and social aspects of progress. We need adequate indicators to address global challenges of the 21st century such as climate change, poverty, resource depletion, health, and quality of life. The Beyond GDP initiative will have a profound influence on the chemical and process industries (CPI), the biggest consumer of raw materials and energy. Therefore, they have to prepare for this future evolution. The climate change speed-up, the increasing list of critical raw materials, extinction of fossil fuels, and species extinction require vast and long reaching reactions. A critical review of sustainability measurement using methods, tools and indicators for CPI is presented. Possible responses are investigated in the paper, reaching from short-term ones like resource efficiency and circular economy, via medium-term ones like renewable energy and material sources, to long-term ones like adopting to changing consumption patterns by the products portfolio of these industries and their volume of production.
