Gewählte Publikation:

Fischer-Kowalski, M; Amann, C.
(2001): Beyond IPAT and Kuznets curves: Globalization as a vital factor in analysing the environmental impact of socio-economic metabolism
POPUL ENVIRON. 2001; 23(1): 7-47. FullText FullText_BOKU

Abstract:

We bring the rapidly developing tools for analyzing "societyxxxs metabolism" to the attention of a scientific audience concerned with matters of population and, in a complementary fashion, we draw the attention of material and energy flow analysts to the role of population and population dynamics within their own paradigm. As an analytic framework, we use the classic "IPAT-model" that relates environmental impact (I), population (P), affluence (A), and technology (T). We relate the]PAT model to the tool commonly used in MFA, so-called environmental Kuznets curves, and re-analyze empirical data from various sources, for both affluent industrial and for developing countries, within these frameworks. We conclude that population and technology seem to dominate over affluence as far as environmental impact is concerned, but that both the [PAT and Kuznets models fail to take into account the intricate interdependencies among different socio-economic systems and the increases in their the economic, material and population exchanges. In effect, both models tend to underestimate the environmental impact and create too optimistic an image of "dematerialization" in affluent industrial countries.

Autor*innen der BOKU Wien:

Fischer-Kowalski Marina

Find related publications in this database (Keywords)

IPAT model

environmental Kuznets curves (EKC)

material flow analysis

national MFA for Austria, Brazil, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, United States, Venezuela

metabolic profile

international trade

socio-economic metabolism

economies in transition

material intensity

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