The measurement and performance of the Danish innovation system in relation to sustainable development

Chapter 13 discusses how well the Danish innovation system performs in relation to sustainable development, and how this performance is assessed. Using the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and related targets as overall performance measures for sustainable development the Danish innovation system is performing relatively well but still with major challenges before the 2030 targets are achieved - especially in relation to sustainable cities, consumption, production, climate action and ‘life below water’. It is argued that although the 17 SDGs may serve as important signposts and wake-up calls for policy action, the notion of the learning economy where learning and capability building are at the centre provides a relevant supplementary starting point for formulating policies for a transition to a more sustainable development path. The chapter turns finally to a wider perspective on sustainable development and raises the question of whether the meaning of sustainable development needs to be rethought in the Anthropocene era with significant human impact on the Earth’s ecosystem.