Aug
25
Written by:
RESCUE Green
8/25/2009 12:42 PM
The controversial Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory states that as countries continue to grow economically and per capita income increases environmental degradation will peak and then decrease. Thus, giving the curve the “inverted u-shape”. As Leigh Raymond states in his paper "Reconsidering the Environmental Kuznets Curve", “this would mean countries can ‘grow’ their way economically out of their environmental problems,” however there are several downsides in using economic growth as environmental policy.
There are several weaknesses to the EKG argument:
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The model does not accurately describe the impacts of economic growth on the environment.
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Correlation does not mean causation
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There are different interpretations on the shape of the curve
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Countries do not all follow the same growth model
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Model does not incorporate long-term environmental impacts
Trying to legitimize the pollution caused by economic growth is taking a step backwards. Instead developing an economy that respects ecology and works with it versus against it is a step towards sustainability and economic progress.
Lester Brown’s book Eco-Economy delves into the issue of creating an economy modeled after nature. We can’t just ignore our environmental problems and hope that as we become richer everything can be fixed. Why not start from the source. As Brown emphasizes, “nature depends on cycles, not linear flows of raw materials going in and waste coming out.” This type of closed-loop system is much more efficient, productive, and sustainable for the global economy.
The EKG argument relies on several weak assumptions, outlined in Raymonds paper. Interpretations on the shape of the curve vary widely. Could it be that once countries become wealthy they care more for the environment, pass stricter regulations, or is it just that these nations have the wealth and power to shift their dirtiest industries overseas? Another major flaw is that the model assumes that earth’s resources are indefinite to supply countries infinite growth. Additionally, the model does not account for the complexity of the environment. For example, air pollution does not only affect the air, but the water supply, crops, human health, and wildlife, which then affect economic growth. “It is a self-reinforcing cycle of poverty via environmental degradation”, therefore how could countries grow if they are polluting the very systems they rely on (Brown).
Not only is the EKG model not applicable to all countries and all environmental problems, it is a distorted tool for environmental policy making.
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