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. Environmental quality can increase with growth. Increased incomes, for example, provide the resources for public services such as sanitation and rural electricity. With these services widely available, individuals need to worry less about day-to-day survival and can devote more resources to conservation.All economies depend on the environment for resources and for management of wastes, but these connections are often overlooked. Consequently, natural resources are at the core of all our development needs. We rely on natural resources for the goods, services and infrastructure required for sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. We rely on natural resources to provide employment and decent work. The environmental impact of economic growth includes the increased consumption of non-renewable resources, higher levels of pollution, global warming and the potential loss of environmental habitats. Also, economic growth caused by improved technology can enable higher output with less pollution. Sustained growth can spur development in several ways: Lifts per capita incomes and raises people out of extreme poverty. Increased per capita GDP/GNI gives households and businesses greater financial resources to save. The early stage of economic development, environmental pollution will continue to increase with economic development until economic growth reaches a “turning point.” Subsequently, environmental pollution will show a downward trend and environmental quality will improve. It is negative co integration relationship, which means that the growth of per capita income, says economic growth is helpful to decrease the industrial emission of wastewater, exhaust gas, and solid waste. Where environmental quality directly affects human welfare, higher incomes tend to be associated with less degradation. But where the costs of environmental damage can be exunalized, economic growth results in a steady deterioration of environmental quality. Environmental pollution increases initially with economic development, but environmental pollution begins to decrease after income reaches a certain level.

Economic growth depends on the environment and natural resources as they provide essential inputs for production and consumption. However, unchecked economic growth can lead to environmental pollution and degradation, creating a negative feedback loop where pollution hampers economic growth by damaging ecosystems, public health, and natural resources.

Economic growth relies on natural resources but can harm the environment through pollution, resource depletion, and climate change. The relationship between economic growth and environmental pollution is complex and often follows the Environmental Kuznets Curve hypothesis, suggesting initial degradation followed by improvement.

Dr Chuck A. Arize thank you for your contribution to the discussion