Environmental Sustainability and Economic Development: A World View

Abstract

Sustainability, especially environmental sustainability, has obtained more and more attention globally.  However, many questions remain unclear.  For example, how economic development and environmental sustainability are correlated with each other?  How economically developed a country needs to be when environmental sustainability becomes necessary?  Does environmental sustainability require certain degree of economic development?  The purposes of this study are: (1) to investigate the relationship between environmental sustainability and economic development; (2) to examine the current status of environmental sustainability in both developed and developing countries; and (3) to develop a world view of environmental sustainability.  By applying well-developed theories (Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and the Environmental Kuznets Curve) and analyzing reliable statistical data (Environmental Performance Index, Environmental Performance Index, CO2 emission, energy consumption, ecological footprint, and waste generation), two correlated relationships (positive vs. negative) between environmental sustainability and economic development were identified, followed by the development of two types of environmental sustainability (proactive vs. passive).  When both correlated relationship were combined, the Environmental Sustainability Curve was developed and supported by the Environmental Kuznets Curve.  Then by following product life cycle, the current status of environmental sustainability in both developed countries and developing countries were examined.  At the end, when the world was examined as a whole by combining the developing countries and developed countries together, a world view of environmental sustainability was formed.  Even though developed countries have a low environmental impact from production stage and disposal stage and developing countries have a low environmental impact from consumption stage, the world view combined with both types of countries is very troublesome and serious due to high environmental impact from production, consumption and disposal.   Therefore, immediate response to address all the environmental damages is necessary from all countries.

Keywords: Environmental, Sustainability, World, Economy