The world economy in a cube: A more rational structural representation of sustainability |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Ecodynamics Group, Department of Earth, Environmental and Physical Sciences, University of Siena, Pian dei Mantellini 44, 53100 Siena, Italy;2. Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College, University of Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Ireland;3. Department of Economics & Statistics, University of Siena, Piazza San Francesco 7, 53100 Siena, Italy;4. Department of Business and Quantitative Studies, University of Naples “Parthenope”, Via Generale Parisi 13, 80132 Naples, Italy;5. Department of Geography and the Environment, University of Denver, 2199 S. University Blvd, Denver, CO 80208, United States;6. School of Natural and Built Environments, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA 5095, Australia;1. Institute for Experimental Meteorology, Pobedy Street, 4, Obninsk, 249030, Russia;2. University of Leipzig, Institute for Meteorology, Stephanstrasse 3, 04103 Leipzig, Germany;1. State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210023, PR China;2. State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Planning and Policy Simulation, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, PR China;3. The Center for Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Regional Environment, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning, Beijing, 100012, PR China;1. Department of Science and Technology, Parthenope University of Naples, Italy;2. Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences, University of Florida, USA;3. State Key Joint Laboratory of Environment Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China;4. Beijing Engineering Research Center for Watershed Environmental Restoration & Integrated Ecological Regulation, Beijing 100875, China;5. Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain |
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| Abstract: | National economic systems are investigated in a 3-axis diagram where three different indicators are used to account for resource use, societal organization, and goods and services produced, respectively. This framework is consistent with an input-state-output (environment–society–economy) scheme based on a logical, physical and thermodynamic order between the three dimensions of sustainability. This approach highlights which input-state-output relations are realized and which relations are less common in the behavior of these systems. It assesses and overcomes major drawbacks of common representations of sustainability. Within a cube diagram, 99 national economies are ranked and grouped into 8 categories, which are labeled to reflect the main characteristics of their behavior according to the three environmental, social and economic parameters. A cluster analysis is also performed in order to statistically support the classification and strengthen the interpretation of results. Results show that no countries exhibit a dematerialization of economic activity and that non-sustainable economic activity can take place over a wide range of income distributions (Gini coefficients). |
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| Keywords: | Sustainability Inequality Input-state-output Cluster analysis Economic system Indicators |
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