CPEC Eco-Innovation Project

Eco-innovation for the sustainable industrial growth of major industrial sectors in Special Economic Zones (ECZs) under CPEC-75.

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Water (USPCASW) has initiated a research project on Eco-innovations in the industrial facilities of SITE. The project is funded by Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan.

• Prof. Dr. Zubair Ahmed, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro, is the project’s principal investigator (PI).
• Prof. Dr. Jinhui Li, Tsinghua University, China, is an academic partner from China.

There are six targeted industrial sectors, which are

1. Textile Sector
2. Marble Sector
3. Food Sector
4. Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sector
5. Steel Sector
6. Automobile & Allied Sector

The project is to investigate eco-innovations within the major industrial sectors by analyzing production-technologies-associated wastewater reducing/elimination measures and innovative wastewater treatment technologies. The project aims to develop a policy framework for adopting the eco-innovation approach. The objectives of the project are:

1. To examine existing environmental measures in major industrial sectors.
2. To develop new eco-innovation options.
3. To develop a plan to manage underlying factors creating challenges in adopting eco-innovation strategies.

Research Outcomes:

In a broader aspect, the proposed research will widen the door of industrial-academia collaborations in terms of technological development for sustainable growth. It will promote an eco-innovation strategy within existing industries. Policy framework protocols will be prepared for Eco-goals (eco-innovation goals) to be implemented in different industrial sectors.

Specifically, the project will identify the gaps within the industries and develop new environmental options, including technology advancement, process modifications, and waste reduction techniques, which are environmentally sustainable and economically feasible.