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Material footprint and economic growth decoupling toward green development: Comparative analysis of United States, the European Union and the BRICS countries

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  • Guo, Shaobo
  • Cao, Fuguo
  • Yang, Yusen

Abstract

In the pursuit of sustainable resource management, understanding the relationship between economic growth and material consumption is crucial. This study investigates the decoupling dynamics between material footprint (MF) and GDP across the European Union (EU), the United States, and BRICS countries from 1995 to 2023. Using Tapio decoupling indicators and the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method, we assess temporal trends and identify the driving forces of MF changes. The results reveal significant regional and national disparities. While BRICS countries exhibit a higher overall decoupling rate than the EU, their decoupling is mostly weak, whereas the EU shows higher instances of strong decoupling, albeit with greater volatility. The United States demonstrates a relatively stable decoupling trend with the highest share of strong decoupling years among the studied economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo, Shaobo & Cao, Fuguo & Yang, Yusen, 2025. "Material footprint and economic growth decoupling toward green development: Comparative analysis of United States, the European Union and the BRICS countries," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:238:y:2025:i:c:s0921800925002162
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolecon.2025.108733
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