Technology-specific absorptive capacities for green technologies in newly industrialising countries

Technological competences in the sustainability fields are a key indicator for the absorptive capacity of sustainability technologies and for the ability to export them. International publications, transnational patents and successes in foreign trade indicate to what extent a country is already able to participate in global technology markets. The analysed NICs can be grouped into four country clusters with different levels of absorptive capacities for green technologies. The resulting pattern shows various strengths and weaknesses of the analysed countries. There is a strong need for strategic positioning of the countries and for coordination of the various policy fields involved.