Title Page
Abstract
Contents
Abbreviations 11
Units of measurement 13
Chapter 01. Introduction 14
Chapter 02. Literature Review 16
2.1. Scarcity 16
2.2. Eco-efficiency 18
2.3. Circular Economy and Sustainability 20
2.4. Industrial Ecology and Industrial Symbiosis 22
Chapter 03. Research Aim, Question, and Structure of this study 24
3.1. Research aim 24
3.2. Research question 24
3.3. Structure of this study 24
Chapter 04. Methodology and Data 25
4.1. Methodology Framework 25
4.1.1. Malmquist productivity efficiency analysis 26
4.1.2. EKC approach 30
4.2. Data sources and database construction 31
4.3. Case study overview 32
Chapter 05. Results and Discussion 36
5.1. Productivity results 36
5.1.1. Total Factor Productivity Change (TFPCH) 36
5.1.2. Technical Efficiency Change (TECHCH) 38
5.1.3. Efficiency Change (EFFCH) 40
5.1.4. Scale Efficiency Change (SECH) 42
5.1.5. Pure Efficiency Change (PECH) 43
5.1.6. The Average Malmquist Index 44
5.2. Decoupling results 45
Chapter 06. Policy Analysis 48
6.1. Policy Analysis of Denmark 48
6.2. Policy Analysis of France 51
6.3. Policy Analysis of Germany 54
6.4. Policy Analysis of Luxembourg 56
6.5. Policy Analysis of The Netherlands 59
Chapter 07. Conclusion 62
Publications and Conferences 65
References 66
Table 1. The average Malmquist Index 44
Table 2. Key data in relation to the energy policy in Denmark 49
Table 3. Key data in relation to the energy policy in France 52
Table 4. Key data in relation to the energy policy in Germany 55
Table 5. Key data in relation to the energy policy in Luxembourg 57
Table 6. Key data in relation to the energy policy in The Netherlands 60
Figure 1. Framework of the study 25
Figure 2. Geographical information for Denmark, France, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands 32
Figure 3. Population growth 33
Figure 4. GDP growth (Constant price 2010 USD) 33
Figure 5. CO₂ emission growth 34
Figure 6. Total Factor Productivity Change (TFPCH) 36
Figure 7. Technical Efficiency Change (TECHCH) 38
Figure 8. Efficiency Change (EFFCH) 40
Figure 9. Scale Efficiency Change (SECH) 42
Figure 10. Pure Efficiency Change (PECH) 43
Figure 11. EKC decoupling analysis 45
Figure 12. A timeline of the policies in Denmark 49
Figure 13. A timeline of the policies in France 52
Figure 14. A timeline of the policies in Germany 55
Figure 15. A timeline of the policies in Luxembourg 57
Figure 16. A timeline of the policies in The Netherlands 60