The environmental goods and services sector, abbreviated as EGSS and also referred to as environmental economy or eco-industries, consists of a heterogeneous set of producers of goods and services aiming at the protection of the environment and the management of natural resources.
Environmental goods and services are products manufactured or services rendered for the main purpose of:
- preventing or minimising pollution, degradation or natural resources depletion;
- repairing damage to air, water, waste, noise, biodiversity and landscapes;
- reducing, eliminating, treating and managing pollution, degradation and natural resource depletion;
- carrying out other activities such as measurement and monitoring, control, research and development, education, training, information and communication related to environmental protection or resource management.