ABSTRACT
The environmental Kuznets curve is a hypothesized inverted U-shape relationship between various environmental impact indicators and income per capita. In the early stages of economic growth, environmental impacts and pollution increase, but beyond some level of income per capita economic growth leads to environmental improvement. The environmental Kuznets curve is seen as empirical confirmation of the interpretation of sustainable development as the idea that developing countries need to get richer in order to reduce environmental degradation and eventually transition to a green economy. City air and rivers have become cleaner since the mid-twentieth century and, in some countries, forests have expanded. In emerging countries, rapid economic growth might overwhelm the rate at which technology improved resulting in increasing impacts, while in developed countries, where economic growth is slower, technology improvements could outpace growth, and environmental impacts would decrease over time.
