The simple answer is: no, we don't have to choose. But in order to have both we need to get rid of the growth model. And in order to do that we need to change our monetary system. Yes, post-Keynesians say it's perfectly possible to have a steady state economy with the current monetary system. Mathematically they are right but they forget to highlight that you then need banks to operate with zero net profit accumulation and that money needs to be borrowed without real incentives to do so (Article Risk and Financial Management Computational Analysis of the ...
).
A change in monetary system would facilitate things quite a lot (Preprint An alternative general-purpose money supply model for a futu...
).
We also need to shift our economy from a focus on prosperity, which focuses on material wealth, towards well-being, which is broader. It will require a major shift in how we organise our economy but that will make it possible to have a thriving economy, well-being for all and ecological sustainibility. If we insist on business as usual we'll have to make a choice: have a booming economy for a little while and suffer the consequences of a failing ecosystem or sacrifice the economy for ecological survival.
For your first question, I would say not necessary because each one is important or yeah maybe we can rank them also in order of priority depending on the given context. Secondly, the presence of growth in an economy doesn't necessarily extend to the people and the impact of growth is minimal compared to that of economic development. For economic growth it might just be an increase in GDP, Exports, etc but for Economic development it means an increase in quality of life, living standard, availability of infrastructures, and health amenities, and this basically would translate to economic growth eventually hence the preference.
In fact, in many cases, quite the opposite is true. Today, many people realize that it's not about the environment versus the economy, not a tradeoff between unemployment and pollution. It's not about picking one or the other. In short, we cannot choose between the environment and the economy. No one wants to stop economic progress that could give millions better lives. But we must insist on sustainable development that combines environmental care, social justice and economic growth. Earth cannot support unrestricted growth.Achieving a balance between economic growth and natural resource consumption is critical. Development is worthless without an environment. We must conserve energy for future generations and understanding the notion of sustainable development is the only way to do it. Clean air and water, healthy food and preserved nature all benefit human health and result in far more economic benefit than economic cost. All economic activities either affect or are affected by natural and environmental resources. Activities such as extraction, processing, manufacture, transport, consumption and disposal change the stock of natural resources, add stress to the environmental systems and introduce wastes to environmental media. Some say that protecting the environment should be prioritized, even if it causes slower economic growth and some loss of jobs. A healthy environment supplies the necessities of life, like water, food, and air. It also provides resources for economic growth and the means to fight natural hazards. Economic growth increases state capacity and the supply of public goods. When economies grow, states can tax that revenue and gain the capacity and resources needed to provide the public goods and services that their citizens need, like healthcare, education, social protection and basic public services. The natural environment plays a key role in our economy, as a direct input into production and through the many services it provides. Environmental resources such as minerals and fossil fuels directly facilitate the production of goods and services. Natural resources are essential inputs for production in many sectors, while production and consumption also lead to pollution and other pressures on the environment. Poor environmental quality in turn affects economic growth and wellbeing by lowering the quantity and quality of resources or due to health impacts, etc. Whereas, Economic Development takes consideration of all activities, whether formal or informal and eases people with low standards of living a suitable shelter and with proper employment. Economic Growth does not react the depletion of natural resources. Depletion of resources such as pollution, congestion and disease. Economic development leads to economic growth. Growth happens through the changes brought about by development, as the quality of life can impact the output of products and services. The goal of economic development is economic growth. Economic growth and development indicate progress in a country's economy. Economic growth is usually a good sign for a country's economy. However, it does not always equate to an improvement in the overall quality of life or economic welfare in the country. This is where we can use economic development as an indicator. Growth and development are not synonymous. Economic growth aims to increase a country's national income. Development aims to generate positive qualitative changes. However, both indicators are continuous processes affecting a country's welfare and social progress.
La elección entre la economía y el medio ambiente no necesariamente tiene que ser una dicotomía. De hecho, es ampliamente reconocido que el desarrollo económico y la protección del medio ambiente pueden y deben coexistir para lograr un equilibrio sostenible. Aquí hay algunas razones por las que no es necesario elegir entre uno u otro:
1. Interconexión: La economía y el medio ambiente están intrínsecamente interconectados. Los recursos naturales y un entorno saludable son fundamentales para la economía, ya que proporcionan materias primas, servicios ecosistémicos y un sustento para la vida humana. La degradación ambiental puede tener efectos perjudiciales a largo plazo en la economía.
2. Sostenibilidad: Un desarrollo económico sostenible implica utilizar los recursos de manera eficiente y proteger el medio ambiente para las generaciones futuras. Esto implica no agotar recursos finitos, minimizar la contaminación y reducir las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero.
3. Innovación: La transición hacia una economía más verde y sostenible puede impulsar la innovación y crear oportunidades económicas en industrias como la energía renovable, la eficiencia energética y la tecnología ambiental.
4. Riesgos económicos: La falta de atención al medio ambiente puede generar riesgos económicos significativos. Eventos climáticos extremos, escasez de recursos y la pérdida de biodiversidad pueden afectar negativamente la economía y la seguridad alimentaria.
5. Salud pública: La calidad del medio ambiente tiene un impacto directo en la salud de las personas. La contaminación del aire y del agua puede tener consecuencias graves para la salud, lo que a su vez puede aumentar los costos de atención médica y disminuir la productividad económica.
El desarrollo económico y el crecimiento económico no son necesariamente lo mismo. El desarrollo económico implica una mejora en la calidad de vida de las personas, que va más allá del simple aumento del PIB. Incluye la distribución equitativa de la riqueza, la creación de empleo, la reducción de la pobreza, el acceso a la educación y la atención médica, y la promoción de un entorno saludable.
El crecimiento económico, por otro lado, se refiere principalmente al aumento en la producción de bienes y servicios de una economía, que a menudo se mide mediante el PIB. Si el crecimiento económico se produce a expensas del medio ambiente y no se traduce en mejoras significativas en la calidad de vida de las personas, puede no ser beneficioso a largo plazo.
Por tanto, podemos concluir que la elección entre la economía y el medio ambiente no es necesaria ni deseable. En cambio, debemos buscar un desarrollo económico sostenible que proteja el medio ambiente y mejore la calidad de vida de las personas a largo plazo. Esto requiere políticas y acciones que equilibren los intereses económicos con la protección ambiental.
Economic development leads to economic growth. Growth happens through the changes brought about by development, as the quality of life can impact the output of products and services. The goal of economic development is economic growth. Economic growth and development indicate progress in a country's economy. Whereas, Economic Development takes consideration of all activities, whether formal or informal and eases people with low standards of living a suitable shelter and with proper employment. Economic Growth does not react the depletion of natural resources and depletion of resources such as pollution, congestion & disease. Economic development works to create better jobs that lead to an increased standard of living for people, and to improve the infrastructure of the community where they live. Economic growth is usually a good sign for a country's economy. However, it does not always equate to an improvement in the overall quality of life or economic welfare in the country. This is where we can use economic development as an indicator. Access to employment and commercial centers is important to economic growth. Providing efficient and safe access to retail, employment, and services through multiple modes, such as pedestrians and bicycles can increase economic activity. Clean air and water, healthy food and preserved nature all benefit human health and result in far more economic benefit than economic cost. All economic activities either affect or are affected by natural and environmental resources. Activities such as extraction, processing, manufacture, transport, consumption and disposal change the stock of natural resources add stress to the environmental systems and introduce wastes to environmental media.Some say that protecting the environment should be prioritized, even if it causes slower economic growth and some loss of jobs. A healthy environment supplies the necessities of life, like water, food, and air. It also provides resources for economic growth and the means to fight natural hazards.
In fact, in many cases, quite the opposite is true. Today, many people realize that it's not about the environment versus the economy, not a tradeoff between unemployment and pollution. It's not about picking one or the other. In short, we cannot choose between the environment and the economy. Clean air and water, healthy food and preserved nature all benefit human health and result in far more economic benefit than economic cost. The environment provides major raw materials for industries. Economy processes raw material to make finished goods. The environment provides industries with all the natural resources. The economy invests in developing technology to optimize the use of natural resources. Environmental resources such as minerals and fossil fuels directly facilitate the production of goods and services. The environment provides other services that enable economic activity, such as sequestering carbon, filtering air and water pollution, protecting against flood risk, and soil formation. All economic activities either affect or are affected by natural and environmental resources. Activities such as extraction, processing, manufacture, transport, consumption and disposal change the stock of natural resources add stress to the environmental systems and introduce wastes to environmental media. If we think about the environment then we might consider the water supply, the temperatures in winter and summer, as well as the resources available to an area, like rivers, coastline, and so on. Each of these factors has an impact upon economic development in a country. Both economic growth and economic development are important, but they serve different purposes. Economic growth focuses on increasing the size of the economy, while economic development aims to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for individuals within the society. The economic growth is a narrow term. It involves increase in output in quantitative terms but economic development includes changes in qualitative terms such as social attitudes and customs along with quantitative growth of output or national income.
The answer is "No". We can have both a healthy environment and a healthy economy. But there is a caveat. It requires that citizens be given a property right in good air and water quality (I do not mean to exclude other environmental indicators). So the way that this would work is that groups of citizens of sufficient numbers (for example, 70% of citizens) would have the right to standing in court to sue polluters. This would be sufficient to modify the behavior of polluters.
Economic development leads to economic growth. Growth happens through the changes brought about by development, as the quality of life can impact the output of products and services. The goal of economic development is economic growth. Economic growth and development indicate progress in a country's economy. Both economic growth and economic development are important, but they serve different purposes. Economic growth focuses on increasing the size of the economy, while economic development aims to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for individuals within the society. The economic growth is a narrow term. It involves increase in output in quantitative terms but economic development includes changes in qualitative terms such as social attitudes and customs along with quantitative growth of output or national income. Economic growth is usually a good sign for a country's economy. However, it does not always equate to an improvement in the overall quality of life or economic welfare in the country. This is where we can use economic development as an indicator. The environment provides major raw materials for industries. Economy processes raw material to make finished goods. The environment provides industries with all the natural resources. The economy invests in developing technology to optimize the use of natural resources. All economic activities either affect or are affected by natural and environmental resources. Activities such as extraction, processing, manufacture, transport, consumption and disposal change the stock of natural resources add stress to the environmental systems and introduce wastes to environmental media. We now know, through the experiences of both developed and developing countries, that economic growth can complement environmental conservation and transitioning to a low-carbon economy can go hand-in-hand with increased access to economic opportunity and higher levels of well-being.
The relationship between economic development and economic growth is a complex and debated topic in the field of economics that goes back to before the time of Adam Smith. While the two concepts are related, they are not synonymous, and it is important to understand the nuances and potential limitations of this relationship. Consider Joseph Stiglitz for example. He argues is that GDP is an incomplete measure of well-being, as it neglects important factors such as income inequality, environmental sustainability, education, and healthcare, which are crucial for assessing a society's overall welfare and quality of life. Stiglitz and others have advocated for broader measures of well-being, such as the Human Development Index (HDI) and various other indicators. Today's policy debates centre on sustainability transitions and more recently on the twin transition (especially in Europe). Sustainability transitions involve shifts in economic, social, and technological systems to achieve long-term sustainability goals, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions, conserving natural resources, and enhancing social well-being. The twin transition refers to the simultaneous pursuit of economic and environmental goals.
Economic development can give us a better life in terms of money, comforts, the standard of living etc, but in the long run we are going to pay for it if such developments are being made compromising with the ecological balance. Whereas, Economic Development takes consideration of all activities, whether formal or informal and eases people with low standards of living a suitable shelter and with proper employment. Economic Growth does not react the depletion of natural resources. Depletion of resources such as pollution, congestion & disease. In many cases, quite the opposite is true. Today, many people realize that it's not about the environment versus the economy, not a tradeoff between unemployment and pollution. It's not about picking one or the other. In short, we cannot choose between the environment and the economy. Economic and environmental performance must go hand in hand. The natural environment is central to economic activity and growth, providing the resources we need to produce goods and services, and absorbing and processing unwanted by-products in the form of pollution and waste. Clean air and water, healthy food and preserved nature all benefit human health and result in far more economic benefit than economic cost. The natural environment plays a key role in our economy, as a direct input into production and through the many services it provides. Environmental resources such as minerals and fossil fuels directly facilitate the production of goods and services. The natural environment is central to economic activity and growth, providing the resources we need to produce goods and services, and absorbing and processing unwanted by-products in the form of pollution and waste. Both the environment and development are critical. The environment is usually the place where we work and earn a living, as well as where we adjust to changing circumstances. Inclusive development will be difficult without a proper focus on environmental conservation.
It is necessary to find effective solutions from a variety of alternatives to balance between resources and the needs of the economy, environment and society.
In fact, in many cases, quite the opposite is true. Today, many people realize that it's not about the environment versus the economy, not a tradeoff between unemployment and pollution. It's not about picking one or the other. In short, we cannot choose between the environment and the economy. The environment provides major raw materials for industries. Economy processes raw material to make finished goods. The environment provides industries with all the natural resources. The economy invests in developing technology to optimize the use of natural resources. All economic activities either affect or are affected by natural and environmental resources. Activities such as extraction, processing, manufacture, transport, consumption and disposal change the stock of natural resources add stress to the environmental systems and introduce wastes to environmental media. Natural resources are essential inputs for production in many sectors, while production and consumption also lead to pollution and other pressures on the environment. Poor environmental quality in turn affects economic growth and wellbeing by lowering the quantity and quality of resources or due to health impacts, etc. The impacts of processing and use of resources, the production of goods and services, transport and waste generation, including greenhouse gas emissions, are central to how economic activity generates environmental pressures. All economic growth involves transforming the natural world, and it can affect environmental quality in one of three ways. Environmental quality can increase with growth. The basis for this view is the idea that environmental quality comes only after basic needs such as food and housing are met. So, countries should focus initially on economic growth even if it comes at the expense of environmental quality. Both economic growth and economic development are important, but they serve different purposes. Economic growth focuses on increasing the size of the economy, while economic development aims to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for individuals within the society. Growth and development are not synonymous. Economic growth aims to increase a country's national income. Development aims to generate positive qualitative changes. However, both indicators are continuous processes affecting a country's welfare and social progress. The economic growth is a narrow term. It involves increase in output in quantitative terms but economic development includes changes in qualitative terms such as social attitudes and customs along with quantitative growth of output or national income.Economic development leads to economic growth. Growth happens through the changes brought about by development, as the quality of life can impact the output of products and services.
Do we have to choose between the economy and the environment and why is economic development more important than economic growth?
The economy affects the environment and the environment affects the economy too. Hence the two have to be blended and managed in mutual care.
Economic Development is more important than Economic Growth because the former measures the welfare of the people while the latter measures the growth of numbers regardless of how people are affected.
Economic growth will simply reflect the volume of production of goods and services even if those goods and services do not add value, or have an adverse effects on the welfare of the people. But economic development will reflect the standard of living of individual citizens in terms of health, income, knowledge (education access and quality), life span and quality services.
Hence our primary concern is on development that measures the quality of life but again this will be achieved by economic growth which measures the quantity of production.
As a result, economy with a degraded environment will not have development since the adverse effects of spoiled or over utilised environment will bring adverse climate effects that will negatively affect the lives of people. Hence let us balance environment and the needs of the economy for development. We can grow to develop and not grow to destroy or deplete the environment.
Both economic growth and economic development are important, but they serve different purposes. Economic growth focuses on increasing the size of the economy, while economic development aims to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for individuals within the society. Growth and development are not synonymous. Economic growth aims to increase a country's national income. Development aims to generate positive qualitative changes. However, both indicators are continuous processes affecting a country's welfare and social progress. Attracting and growing businesses strengthens our economy providing locally-produced goods and services. Strong businesses pay taxes that go for vital services such as schools, roads, fire, and police. Whereas, Economic Development takes consideration of all activities, whether formal or informal and eases people with low standards of living a suitable shelter and with proper employment. Economic Growth does not react the depletion of natural resources. Depletion of resources such as pollution, congestion & disease. Economic development leads to economic growth. Growth happens through the changes brought about by development, as the quality of life can impact the output of products and services. The goal of economic development is economic growth. Economic growth and development indicate progress in a country's economy. It is possible to have economic growth without development. i.e. an increase in GDP, but most people don't see any actual improvements in living standards. This could occur due to: Economic growth may only benefit a small % of the population. The environment provides major raw materials for industries. Economy processes raw material to make finished goods. The environment provides industries with all the natural resources. The economy invests in developing technology to optimize the use of natural resources. All economic activities either affect or are affected by natural and environmental resources. Activities such as extraction, processing, manufacture, transport, consumption and disposal change the stock of natural resources add stress to the environmental systems and introduce wastes to environmental media. Economic growth resulting from trade expansion can have an obvious direct impact on the environment by increasing pollution or degrading natural resources.
Firstly, it is essential to recognize that the dichotomy between the economy and the environment is a false one. Rather than pitting these two aspects against each other, the key lies in finding a delicate balance that acknowledges their interconnectedness. Sustainable development, a concept that encapsulates both economic and environmental considerations, underscores the need for growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Economic growth, while a significant marker of progress, should not be pursued at the expense of environmental degradation. The depletion of natural resources, pollution, and climate change are all consequences of unchecked economic expansion. A myopic focus on short-term economic gains can lead to long-term environmental consequences that jeopardize the very foundation of our existence. Thus, it becomes evident that economic growth, when divorced from environmental responsibility, is unsustainable and detrimental to our collective future.
Conversely, economic development, when approached holistically, integrates both economic and environmental dimensions. Economic development goes beyond mere quantitative growth, encompassing qualitative improvements in the standard of living, social equity, and environmental stewardship. In this context, sustainable economic development acknowledges the finite nature of resources and endeavours to create a resilient and equitable society that respects ecological boundaries.
Moreover, the idea that economic development is more important than economic growth stems from the understanding that progress should be measured by the well-being of society rather than sheer output. A nation's success should not be solely gauged by GDP figures but by factors such as education, healthcare, social justice, and environmental sustainability. In essence, economic development strives for a more inclusive and balanced approach to progress, emphasizing the improvement of human lives without compromising the health of the planet.
To navigate the intricate relationship between the economy and the environment, policymakers must adopt a holistic perspective that transcends short-term gains. Integrating sustainability into economic models, promoting green technologies, and fostering international cooperation are crucial steps in ensuring that economic development and environmental preservation go hand in hand.
In conclusion, the narrative of choosing between the economy and the environment is a false dilemma. The path forward lies in embracing sustainable development, recognizing that economic growth when coupled with responsible environmental practices, contributes to a more resilient and equitable society. Prioritizing economic development over mere growth ensures that progress is not only measured in monetary terms but also in the well-being of individuals and the health of the planet, laying the foundation for a more sustainable and prosperous future.
Economic development is more important than Economic growth because the impact of economic growth on the population in terms of quality of life, education and health.
In fact, in many cases, quite the opposite is true. Today, many people realize that it's not about the environment versus the economy, not a tradeoff between unemployment and pollution. It's not about picking one or the other. In short, we cannot choose between the environment and the economy. The environment supports human life. Without its protection, development unchecked would have deleterious effects for the future of human health. Economic development cannot be stopped. Environmental protection could be but better not be. Attracting and growing businesses strengthens our economy providing locally-produced goods and services. Strong businesses pay taxes that go for vital services such as schools, roads, fire, and police. Businesses also provide good jobs that put money in people's pockets and allow for a higher quality of life.Economic development is often put ahead of environmental sustainability as it involves people's standards of living. However, quality of life can decline if people live in an economic place with a poor environmental quality because of economic development. Economic development is more relevant to measure progress and quality of life in developing nations. Economic growth is a more relevant metric for progress in developed countries. But it's widely used in all countries because growth is a necessary condition for development. Pollutants generated by economic activities accumulate in the environment, reducing ecosystems' ability to regenerate and provide us vital services. Environmental degradation affects not only plants and animals but also people. Economic environments are the foundation of growth. Economic environments are platforms where individuals trade goods, services, and money to grow their separate wealth. This in turn grows the general wealth of the environment. The natural and environmental resource input function is central to understanding the relationship between economic growth and environment. Water, soil, air, biological, forest and fisheries resources are productive assets, whose quality helps determine the productivity of the economy. Economic growth resulting from trade expansion can have an obvious direct impact on the environment by increasing pollution or degrading natural resources. The environment provides major raw materials for industries. Economy processes raw material to make finished goods. The environment provides industries with all the natural resources. The economy invests in developing technology to optimize the use of natural resources.
Economic growth, Economic Development and environmental performance must go hand in hand, because environment is key to economic activity and growth and development. Its very important to take into account climate change. In the last years has affected economy and population in the world.
Do we have to choose between the economy and the environment, and why is economic development more important than economic growth?
We need the environment and economy to go hand in hand. Both are required in every country and continent. Climate change directly impacts agriculture, forestry, fishery, and industry. Technology, knowledge and cooperation are essential to finding solutions for economic growth that are firmly connected with the environment.
The environment is key to guarantee economic growth and development. It provides raw materials required for production goods and services.
Economic growth is a condition to get economic development. However, It in the last 200 years "has been unambiguously upwards". and it has not had a positive effect on the economic development and well-being of the population. In most countries, economic growth has benefited only a segment of the population and has led to the concentration of income.
In terms of the environment, the effects have been negative: pollution, climate change, pollution of rivers, seas, and oceans.
Le choix entré Développement et environnement n’est pas le chemin à suivre à mon avis mais la recherche de l’optimum. Il s’agit de produire, diversifier et bien utiliser les revenus issus de l’exploitation minières tout en suivant les standards en matière de ESG. Les mesures d’atténuation ou de compensation doivent être suivies avec grande attention (Plan de Gestion Sociale et Environnementale par exemple).
The environment provides major raw materials for industries. Economy processes raw material to make finished goods. The environment provides industries with all the natural resources. The economy invests in developing technology to optimize the use of natural resources. For many years, we've heard that economic growth and environmental protection are in conflict. However, there is growing and compelling evidence that this simply is not the case: A strong economy and a healthy environment are not only complementary, but each depends on the other. Natural resources are essential inputs for production in many sectors, while production and consumption also lead to pollution and other pressures on the environment. Poor environmental quality in turn affects economic growth and wellbeing by lowering the quantity and quality of resources or due to health impacts, etc. All economic growth involves transforming the natural world, and it can affect environmental quality in one of three ways. Environmental quality can increase with growth. Increased incomes, as, provide the resources for public services such as sanitation and rural electricity. Economic sustainability is all about giving people what they want without compromising the quality of life, especially in the developing world. Environmental sustainability: It is the process of meeting the needs of air, food, water, and shelter as well as ensuring that the environment is neither affected nor polluted. Economic growth primarily focuses on the quantitative expansion of an economy, while economic development is a broader concept, encompassing improvements in the overall well-being and quality of life of a country's population. Growth and development are not synonymous. Economic growth aims to increase a country's national income. Development aims to generate positive qualitative changes. However, both indicators are continuous processes affecting a country's welfare and social progress. The economic growth is a narrow term. It involves increase in output in quantitative terms but economic development includes changes in qualitative terms such as social attitudes and customs along with quantitative growth of output or national income. Attracting and growing businesses strengthens our economy providing locally-produced goods and services. Strong businesses pay taxes that go for vital services such as schools, roads, fire, and police. Economic growth is a necessary but not a sufficient condition to eradicate poverty and inequality, as wealth and income in an economy are unevenly distributed. Weaker sections of a society are living below the poverty level. They are not able to contribute to economic growth due to the lack of employment opportunities. It is possible to have economic growth without development. i.e. an increase in GDP, but most people don't see any actual improvements in living standards. This could occur due to: Economic growth may only benefit a small % of the population.
I want to point out the following sentence mentioned by Rk Naresh:
"Economic growth is a necessary but not a sufficient condition to eradicate poverty and inequality, as wealth and income in an economy are unevenly distributed. Weaker sections of a society are living below the poverty level".
I want to add that economic growth, contrary to what Simon Kuztnets said "at the beginning, economic growth and the consequent increase in GDP per capita generate an increase in income inequality but, starting from an inflection point (the peak point of the U reversed), the subsequent increases in GDP per capita generate the reduction in inequality".
In most countries economic growth generated a high concentration of income and in some of them governments had to intervene through welfare policies to slightly reduce these gaps.
Fortunately or not, it is not possible to have both economic growth sustainable society. Mainy indicators and studies show that :
- strong coupling GDP / Energy OR GDP / CO2 emissions
- the great acceleration (Steffen, 2015)
- lastly the great work of Timothee Parrique showing that decoupling between "economic growth" & "environmental footprint" will not be possible in the future neither : https://gaiageld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/decoupling_debunked_evidence_and_argumen.pdf
Many economists don´t believe that It can have economic growth. without causing environmental damage. It´s a contradiction, because environmental protection contributes to economic growth and economic development too.It is important to mention that environmental protection has an economic and social cost and influences the level of economic growth.
Economic development is more sustainable than economic development because it takes into consideration the long-term effects of economic activities on the environment and society, while economic growth sometimes leads to environmental degradation and social inequality if not properly managed.
Economic Development is the impact of economic growth on population to improve the economic well-being and quality of life. It´s measured by The human development index (HDI) is an indicator, developed by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), that is used to classify countries into three levels of human development. The index is composed of life expectancy, education (literacy rate, gross enrollment rate at different levels and net attendance) and per capita income indicators.
Every nation should aim at sustainable economic development rather than economic growth. Economic growth perse implies that a nation's wealth has grown, measured in terms of indicators such as GDP and GNP per capita or reduction in poverty levels. This, however, is quantitative growth, which needs to be translated into improved quality of life of the nationals in terms of high-quality education, health, reduced inequality and general improved standard of living. And development cannot be sustainable if it cannot balance the three pillars of sustainable development, namely the social, economic and ecological.