Is there a trade-off between sustainability and economic growth?

This report investigates the intricate relationship between environmental sustainability and economic development. It explores the argument of whether adopting a sustainable approach towards the environment leads to better economic outcomes. The analysis emphasizes the dependence of economic growth on responsible resource utilization, highlighting the direct correlation between sustainability and a country's economy. The report discusses the fragility of the ecosystem, the importance of social responsibility in sustainable development, and the impact of consumerism on economic growth. It concludes that responsible environmental practices are essential for long-term economic viability, recommending a focus on ecological balance and resource management. This report, contributed by a student, is available on Desklib, a platform providing AI-based study tools.

Running head: SUPPLY CHAIN SUSTAINABILITY
SUPPLY CHAIN SUSTAINABILITY
Is there a trade-off between environmental-social sustainability and economic develop?
Why/Why not?
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

SUPPLY CHAIN SUSTAINABILITY 1
Executive summary:
The objective of this paper is to find out the relationship between the environmental
sustainability and the economic development of a country. Focus will be made on the argument
that whether by undertaking sustainable approach towards the environment will lead to better
economic development of a nation. Our life is largely depended on the resources of the earth like
water, land and other natural resources buried under the earth. The economic growth not only
depends on the use of the resources for industrialisation or other developmental activities, but it
also depends on how well the resources are being used. It has been found that when the resources
are used in a more reliable and proper way, it provides better opportunity for improving the
economy of a country. Thus, there is a direct relationship with the sustainability and the
economy of a country.

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Contents
Introduction: 3
Discussion: 3
Conclusion: 5
References: 7

SUPPLY CHAIN SUSTAINABILITY 3
Introduction:
The concept of sustainable development has drawn good level of attention over the past
century due to the declining condition of the environment. As mentioned by Leigh and Blakely
(2016), the issue of sustainability has resulted in many arguments and debates over the topic.
There has been various means of considering social and sustainable approach that would
eventually lead to the economic development of a country. The problem with environmental
degradation has increased in the recent time due to the excessive use of the natural resources.
This has automatically leaded to the situation that would hamper the economy of the country. As
commented by Sueyoshi and Yuan (2017), misuse of the environmental resources will deplete
the environmental condition and at the same time will also degrade the economic condition of
the country. The objective of this paper is to find out the relationship between the environmental
sustainability and the economic development of a country. Focus will be made on the argument
that whether by undertaking sustainable approach towards the environment will lead to better
economic development of a nation.
Discussion:
As pointed out by Hollander et al. (2016), the ecosystem of the earth is very fragile and it
is the humans to contribute towards the decline of the ecosystem. According to the protocols
framed at the time of joining countries to improve the quality of human life and to make the earth
a better planet to live, humans are responsible for taking care of the earth and its resources. In
fact, the economic condition of a country is largely depended on the availability of the natural
resources in the particular country. According to Lyasnikov et al. (2014), sustainability should
remain a part of the social responsibility and one should enforce sustainable development in
order to improve the present condition of the environment. For instance, it has been found that

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David Henderson has expressed his view on the fact that sustainability is desirable or not
(Jorgenson et al. 2014). On the other hand, in the UN Rio Declaration on Environment and
Development, it has been observed that humans have certain range of intrinsic rights and to this,
the right to the unsullied environment is equally important. In the International Forum on
Globalisation, it has been proposed that it falls under the responsibility of human beings to look
into a strict policy of sustainability and solve the problems related to it (Panayotou 2016). Thus,
primarily, it should be the responsibility of every human in the society to undertake better
approach for sustainability that would eventually improve the economic condition of the nation
or the country as well.
Sueyoshi and Yuan (2017) have also showed the connection between our dependence on
the resources of the earth and its connection with the economy. Sueyoshi and Yuan (2017)
commented that our life is largely depended on the resources of the earth like water, land and
other natural resources buried under the earth. The profundity of the happiness gained through
materialism and the economic growth of the nation results in the attainment of higher rate of
GDP or higher profit in the business. The idea behind the concept that sustainability will lead to
better economy of the country is that the resources of the earth is very limited and we are
completely depended on the resources (Jorgenson et al. 2014). The economy of the country can
only be improved if the resources are used in a proper and just manner. In addition to this, it
should also be the concern of the people that one should leave the resources for the future
generation as well (McLaughlin et al. 2014). It has to be understood that only when there will be
availability of the resources, the nation can remain economically sustainable. The economic
growth not only depends on the use of the resources for industrialisation or other developmental
activities, but it also depends on how well the resources are being used. Consumerism needs to

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be reduced that would only help to improve the economic condition of the nation (Wheeler and
Beatley 2014).
According to the limitless economic growth counter sustainability, the economic growth
is reinforced in a loop and it is more like a snowball that grows as it rolls down the hillside. The
economic growth will eventually lead to success in terms of employment opportunity or
technological excellence (Panayotou 2016). This will definitely require the resources of the
country to facilitate the advancement of the environment. For example, people are facing
challenges due to the increasing rate of global warming. People could not focus on the actual
things that would lead to the growth of the country but they have to look out for the sustainability
of the ecosystem (Jorgenson et al. 2014). This automatically hampers the productivity of the
country leading to poor economic growth. In order to stick the balance between the two, it is
required to consider the sustainability of the environment where people will be responsible for
taking care of the ecological balance and the natural resources that are available in nature (Leigh
and Blakely 2016). There has been development in the alternative resources and it has become
easier for people to fulfil the need of the people but the economy of the country still remained in
a turmoil condition.
Conclusion:
Detailed analysis has been carried on in the report on how sustainability of the
environment can lead to economic development of country. It has been found that sustainability
of the environment depends on how well the natural resources of a country are used. It has been
found that when the resources are used in a more reliable and proper way, it provides better
opportunity for improving the economy of a country. Thus, there is a direct relationship with the
sustainability and the economy of a country. It is thus recommended that people should be more

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responsible towards the sustainability of the nature that would contribute towards the economic
development of the country.

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References:
Hollander, R., Amekudzi-Kennedy, A., Bell, S., Benya, F., Davidson, C., Farkos, C., Fasenfest,
D., Guyer, R., Hjarding, A., Lizotte, M. and Quigley, D., 2016. Network priorities for social
sustainability research and education: Memorandum of the Integrated Network on Social
Sustainability Research Group. Sustainability: Science, Practice, & Policy, 12(1).
Jorgenson, A.K., Alekseyko, A. and Giedraitis, V., 2014. Energy consumption, human well-
being and economic development in central and eastern European nations: A cautionary tale of
sustainability. Energy Policy, 66, pp.419-427.
Leigh, N.G. and Blakely, E.J., 2016. Planning local economic development: Theory and
practice. Sage Publications.
Lyasnikov, N.V., Dudin, M.N., Sekerin, V.D., Veselovsky, M.Y. and Aleksakhina, V.G., 2014.
The national innovation system: the conditions of its making and factors in its development.
McLaughlin, E., Hanley, N., Greasley, D., Kunnas, J., Oxley, L. and Warde, P., 2014. Historical
wealth accounts for Britain: progress and puzzles in measuring the sustainability of economic
growth. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 30(1), pp.44-69.
Panayotou, T., 2016. Economic growth and the environment. The environment in anthropology,
pp.140-148.
Sueyoshi, T. and Yuan, Y., 2017. Social sustainability measured by intermediate approach for
DEA environmental assessment: Chinese regional planning for economic development and
pollution prevention. Energy Economics, 66, pp.154-166.
Wheeler, S.M. and Beatley, T. eds., 2014. Sustainable urban development reader. Routledge.

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