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Limits to growth, sustainable development and environmental kuznets curves: an examination of the environmental impact of economic development

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  • Matthew A. Cole

    (University of Birmingham, UK)

Abstract

The nature of the relationship between economic development and the environment has been discussed since the 1960s, yet opinion remains divided. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between economic growth and environmental degradation and begins by reviewing the largely theoretical discussions from the 'limits to growth' debate of the 1970s to the advent of sustainable development in the 1980s. The paper then examines the recent studies that have subjected the growth - environment relationship to a statistical analysis through the estimation of environmental Kuznets curves (EKCs). The extent to which these studies indicate a decoupling of environmental damage from growth is considered and reasons are suggested why some environmental indicators appear to improve with growth whilst others deteriorate. In order to illustrate the need to interpret EKCs carefully, forecasts of global emissions are made, for the period 1990-2020, for two pollutants that EKCs suggest are being decoupled from economic growth. Policy implications are then discussed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthew A. Cole, 1999. "Limits to growth, sustainable development and environmental kuznets curves: an examination of the environmental impact of economic development," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 7(2), pages 87-97.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:7:y:1999:i:2:p:87-97
    DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1719(199905)7:2<87::AID-SD102>3.0.CO;2-5
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Janina Priebe & Erland Mårald & Annika Nordin, 2021. "Narrow pasts and futures: how frames of sustainability transformation limit societal change," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 11(1), pages 76-84, March.
    3. Letisha S. Fong & Alberto Salvo & David Taylor, 2020. "Evidence of the environmental Kuznets curve for atmospheric pollutant emissions in Southeast Asia and implications for sustainable development: A spatial econometric approach," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1441-1456, September.
    4. Theodore P. Lianos & Anastasia Pseiridis, 2016. "Sustainable welfare and optimum population size," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 18(6), pages 1679-1699, December.
    5. Tisdell, Clem, 2001. "Globalisation and sustainability: environmental Kuznets curve and the WTO," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 185-196, November.
    6. Theo Eicher & Jeff Begun, 2008. "In Search of a Sulphur Dioxide Environmental Kuznets Curve: A Bayesian Model Averaging Approach," Working Papers UWEC-2007-19-P, University of Washington, Department of Economics.
    7. Mehdi Abbas, 2011. "Mondialisation et développement. Quelle soutenabilité au régime de l'organisation mondiale du commerce ?," Post-Print halshs-00602996, HAL.
    8. Emilio Padilla Rosa & Evans Jadotte, 2023. "The determinants of the inequality in CO2 emissions per capita between developing countries and their implications for environmental policy," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 151-169, February.
    9. Christoph Lieb, 2004. "The Environmental Kuznets Curve and Flow versus Stock Pollution: The Neglect of Future Damages," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 29(4), pages 483-506, December.
    10. Katarzyna Pawlewicz & Adam Pawlewicz, 2020. "Interregional Diversity of Social Capital in the Context of Sustainable Development—A Case Study of Polish Voivodeships," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-24, July.
    11. El Alaoui, Aicha & Nekrache, Hassane, 2017. "For sustainable economic growth that seeks to improve environmental quality: an empirical analysis applied to morocco, algeria, tunisia, and egypt," MPRA Paper 85121, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised Mar 2018.
    12. Sabuj Kumar Mandal & Devleena Chakravarty, 2017. "Role of energy in estimating turning point of Environmental Kuznets Curve: an econometric analysis of the existing studies," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 19(2), pages 387-401, October.
    13. Panagiotis Fotis & Michael Polemis, 2018. "Sustainable development, environmental policy and renewable energy use: A dynamic panel data approach," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(6), pages 726-740, November.
    14. Susana Silva & Isabel Soares & Oscar Afonso, 2021. "Decoupling economic growth from emissions: the case of policies promoting resource substitution," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 8331-8347, June.
    15. Giulia Caruso & Emiliano Colantonio & Stefano Antonio Gattone, 2020. "Relationships between Renewable Energy Consumption, Social Factors, and Health: A Panel Vector Auto Regression Analysis of a Cluster of 12 EU Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-16, April.

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