Desenvolvimento da ecoinovação em plataformas de startup e implementação de práticas de ecoinovação em projetos sustentáveis no mercado de carbono para mitigação de gases do efeito estufa

Abstract

Eco-innovation constitutes a strategic approach aimed at advancing sustainability through the integration of technologies, processes, products, and organizational models capable of reducing environmental impacts, optimizing the use of natural resources, and contributing to the mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By incorporating innovative practices into business models, eco-innovation adds value to organizations, strengthens their competitiveness, and contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This thesis aims to understand the development of eco-innovation in startup platforms and the implementation of eco-innovation practices in sustainable projects by integrating the systematization of existing knowledge with activities in the carbon market aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The thesis adopts a predominantly qualitative approach, structured into three complementary studies. Study 1, theoretical in nature, systematizes knowledge on eco-innovation in the context of GHG mitigation through a Systematic Literature Review comprising 85 articles retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases and analyzed with the support of IRaMuTeQ software. Study 2 addresses the process of eco-innovation development in startup platforms focused on GHG mitigation, adopting a qualitative approach based on 17 interviews analyzed with the support of Atlas.ti software. Study 3 analyzes eco-innovation practices implemented by sustainable projects linked to Brazilian startup platforms operating in the carbon market for GHG emissions mitigation. It adopts a qualitative multiple-case approach, comprising 15 semi-structured interviews across 12 cases analyzed using the cross-case synthesis technique. The integrated findings show that eco-innovation practices occur through the orchestration performed by startup platforms, guided by eco-efficiency principles and the articulation of initiatives aimed at sustainable projects. The platforms examined play a strategic role in integrating different actors, technologies, certifications, and investments, thereby fostering GHG emissions mitigation, carbon credit generation, and the creation of environmental, economic, and social value. The thesis concludes that the implementation of eco-innovation in the projects investigated, which are linked to Brazilian startup platforms operating in the carbon market, constitutes a systemic phenomenon resulting from the integration of organizational, process, and product practices with external factors related to government, partnerships, and the market. The intensity of this integration varies according to the projects’ levels of organizational, technological, and market maturity and depends on the interaction between internal organizational capabilities and elements of the carbon market ecosystem. The main theoretical contribution of the thesis lies in the proposition of an analytical framework for operationalizing eco-innovation practices, developed through the articulation of the eco-innovation typology, Practice Theory, and Socio-Ecological Practice Theory, complemented by empirical evidence from the three studies. This framework organizes eco-innovation practices into internal factors (organizational, process, product, human environment, and nature) and external factors (government, partnerships, and market), thereby broadening the understanding of eco-innovation implementation in the carbon market context. Furthermore, the human environment and nature dimensions, also grounded in the articulation of the aforementioned theories, help explain how eco-innovation implementation arises from interactions among actors, organizations, the environment, and natural resources. In this way, the thesis advances the understanding of eco-innovation by demonstrating that its implementation constitutes a relational and ecosystem-based process resulting from the interaction among social, organizational, and environmental practices. In addition, the practical contribution of the thesis lies in the proposition of an analytical framework to guide the implementation of eco-innovation practices in projects operating within the carbon market. Applicable to startup platforms, companies, investors, and public policymakers, the framework can support planning, decision-making, and the evaluation of initiatives, while also identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement. It thus constitutes a management tool that fosters governance, coordination among ecosystem actors, and the creation of environmental, economic, and social value, contributing to the development of sustainable projects and the carbon market.