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Essay / Analysis of Environmental Kuznets Curve Theory
The fundamental flaw of Environmental Kuznets Curve Theory (EKCT) lies in its compartmentalization of environmental impacts, which serves as the basis for establishing a relationship directly with per capita income, the indicator taken into account for economic development. While it is true that environmental impacts can be grouped and analyzed empirically, actual ecological processes belong to a network of interrelationships that current science is still trying to fully understand. It is dangerous and irresponsible to assume or suggest that a set of piecemeal positive trends can lead to the conclusion that environmental quality improves with economic growth. Adhering to the EKCT is equivalent to accepting that ecological models follow the same trajectory. This means that the same type of pollution that occurs in two separate countries will have more or less the same effect. The theory does not show much sensitivity to variation in the value of ecosystems and species. The reality is that some ecosystems are more valuable, more fragile and more species rich than others. A study by York and Rosa (2003) points out that EMT has not adequately addressed four fundamental questions: (1) whether institutional modification actions taken by societies in response to environmental problems actually lead to ecological improvements; (2) that the final stages of modernization processes lead to an ecological transformation of production and consumption at a relatively high frequency; (3) that industries and businesses that reduce their direct impact on the environment do not contribute to the expansion of the negative impacts of other industries or businesses, and; (4) that as economies become more efficient in the use of resources, the rate of increase in their...... middle of paper ......remains, the rise in the level of the sea and the extinction of species. It is imperative to examine both sides, but not all sides, of the story and its actual effects at the individual level if one is to achieve a true understanding of the issues. Humans belong to a class of species that can develop technologies to support the expanded pyramid of needs of its population. He can grow his own food, design mechanisms to produce clean water, and even extend his life using machines and chemicals. Such intelligence and talent can also be used to understand that, like all other species, we are bound by the limited nature of the earth's resources and that our lives and decisions can never be extracted from the basic ecological network of the earth. life. Economic globalization and the consumerism that accompanies it. the mantra that paves the way for overconsumption is more central to the problem in question.