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The Factor X Debate: Setting Targets for Eco‐Efficiency
Author(s) -
Reijnders Lucas
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of industrial ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.377
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1530-9290
pISSN - 1088-1980
DOI - 10.1162/jiec.1998.2.1.13
Subject(s) - dematerialization (economics) , variety (cybernetics) , plasmatron , factor (programming language) , optimism , economics , government (linguistics) , forcing (mathematics) , technological change , business , public economics , computer science , macroeconomics , microeconomics , mathematics , mathematical analysis , linguistics , psychology , social psychology , philosophy , physics , plasma , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , programming language
Summary The quantification and achievement of eco‐efficiency or dematerialization in the form of a factor X, with X varying between 4 and 50 is being espoused by a variety of analysts and advocates. Politically, these efforts are mainly confined to some European countries. They reflect a remarkable technological optimism. This article reviews some of the major issues pertinent to the factor X debate. The case is presented for quantifying dematerialization or eco‐efficiency goals using a factor X. It is also found that the factor X lacks precision as yet, and that there is only limited interest in the possibilrty that achievable values for X may vary widely among economic activities given technological constraints. There is no agreement whether technological improvement alone will be sufficient to achieve a factor X in practice for economies as a whole. It seems likely, however; that government‐driven technology forcing will be necessary to achieve a factor X in practical terms, especially when X is relatively large.