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(Local) environmental quality versus (global) ecological carrying capacity: what might alternative aggregated indicators bring to the debates about environmental Kuznets curves and sustainable development?

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  • Aurelien Boutaud
  • Natacha Gondran
  • Christian Brodhag

Abstract

The Environmental Kuznets Curves (EKC) hypothesis suggests that the environmental impacts of a population increase in the early stages of its development, and decline once a certain level of income is attained. After examining different criticisms that can be addressed to studies that validate this hypothesis (environmental data which concern mostly restricted and/or local phenomenon, development indicators which offer a too limited vision of human development), this paper proposes a representation that confronts two aggregated indicators: ecological footprint and human development index. This confrontation contradicts the EKC hypothesis. Different visions concerning the meaning of the term environment (local environmental quality versus global ecological carrying capacity) might partially explain our conclusions and reveals a pernicious phenomenon. While developed nations tend to improve the quality of their 'local' environment, they also tend to consume more and more 'global' resources, which might often come from developing nations.

Suggested Citation

  • Aurelien Boutaud & Natacha Gondran & Christian Brodhag, 2006. "(Local) environmental quality versus (global) ecological carrying capacity: what might alternative aggregated indicators bring to the debates about environmental Kuznets curves and sustainable develop," International Journal of Sustainable Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(3), pages 297-310.
    • Handle: RePEc:ids:ijsusd:v:9:y:2006:i:3:p:297-310
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Shokoohi, Zeinab & Dehbidi, Navid Kargar & Tarazkar, Mohammad Hassan, 2022. "Energy intensity, economic growth and environmental quality in populous Middle East countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PC).
    2. Zhen Yang & Weijun Gao & Jiawei Li, 2022. "Can Economic Growth and Environmental Protection Achieve a “Win–Win” Situation? Empirical Evidence from China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Nyakundi M. Michieka & John Deal & Kyle Lahman, 2022. "Air pollution and income inequality: a spatial econometric approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 69(1), pages 1-31, August.
    4. Ji, Junping, 2009. "基于生态足迹及hdi的城市地区可持续发展动态评价 [Dynamic Assessment of Urban Sustainable Development Based on Ecological Footprint Method and Human Development Index]," MPRA Paper 59746, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Decun Wu & Jinping Liu, 2020. "Threshold Effects of Restraining Factors on China’s Provincial Ecological Footprint in the Process of Urbanization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-19, April.
    6. Christian Brodhag, 2010. "A differentiated approach for sustainable consumption and production policies," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 34(1), pages 63-70, February.
    7. Mrabet, Zouhair & Alsamara, Mouyad, 2017. "Testing the Kuznets Curve hypothesis for Qatar: A comparison between carbon dioxide and ecological footprint," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1366-1375.
    8. Eyup Dogan & Nigar Taspinar & Korhan K Gokmenoglu, 2019. "Determinants of ecological footprint in MINT countries," Energy & Environment, , vol. 30(6), pages 1065-1086, September.
    9. Caviglia-Harris, Jill L. & Chambers, Dustin & Kahn, James R., 2009. "Taking the "U" out of Kuznets: A comprehensive analysis of the EKC and environmental degradation," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 1149-1159, February.

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