Can Sustainable Development Co-Exist With Current Economic Growth?
- 2018-09-10
- Phys
New research confronts the elephant in the room—the 'trilemma' of population growth, economic growth and environmental sustainability—and reveals the vast incompatibility of current models of economic development with environmental sustainability.
Using data collected from across the globe, national economies and natural resource use were closely examined by an international team of scientists using a mathematical model.
High-income countries often rely more on non-extractive industries, such as manufacturing and services, but also consume more per capita and import more raw materials.
In contrast, in low-income countries, populations depend more on extractive industries such as agriculture, logging and mining, but have lower per capita consumption rates and higher population growth.