Decoupling the Economic Development from Resource Consumption: Implications and Challenges in Assessing the Evolution of Forest Area in Romania

Carmen Valentina Rădulescu, Florina Bran, Alexandru Liviu Ciuvăț, Dumitru Alexandru Bodislav, Ovidiu Cristian Buzoianu, Mihaela Ștefănescu and Sorin Burlacu
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Carmen Valentina Rădulescu: The Department of Agrifood and Environmental Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania
Florina Bran: The Department of Agrifood and Environmental Economics, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania
Alexandru Liviu Ciuvăț: National Institute for Research and Development in Forestry “Marin Drăcea”, 077190 Bucharest, Romania
Ovidiu Cristian Buzoianu: The Department of Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania
Mihaela Ștefănescu: Ministry of Environment, Water and Forests, 010552 Bucharest, Romania
Sorin Burlacu: The Faculty of Administration and Public Management, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, 010552 Bucharest, Romania

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-13

Abstract: The paper proposes an insight into the relation existing between economic development and resource consumption and the associated implications and challenges for forested areas in Romania. In accordance with this purpose, the methods used are both qualitative and quantitative by using a relevant literature review, including international and national reports. In the 1950s and 1960s, Simon Kuznets introduced to modern economic theory the idea that there are certain market forces directly correlated with economic development. After almost two decades of a market economy in Romania, we are witnessing a relative decoupling process between economic development and social inequality. Moreover, the country strives to make the transition to a circular economy by involving all relevant stakeholders and by attracting the necessary financial support. Sustainable development offers the perspective of reaching an equilibrium between economic, social, and environmental aspects. Finding the right tools to assess multiple impacts has always been challenging as regards decoupling the economic development from natural resource consumption. Although there are multiple interpretations of the outcomes of a decoupling process, this paper aims at assessing the evolution of forested areas through econometric research using the Environmental curve of Simon Kuznets. As our main results, we have observed a decoupling process in the GDP growth that will not lead to a decrease in wooded areas in our country, mainly due to rural–urban migration, shifts in consumption patterns (from firewood toward natural gases, etc.) and improvement in the legislative framework in the case of forestry products. Among the weaknesses of the model used are the limited data availability and the reduced number of observations with annual frequency (data were taken only for 22 years), the use of a square pattern instead of a cubic one (it is possible for the results to differ and consequently another form of this curve, either N or N-inverted) or the use of data with a low accuracy related to the total forest areas in Romania. Among the conclusions of the papers, the decoupling process is not a single action process. Our research focused on forest area and the need to connect it with other policy actions related to mainstreaming sustainability, promoting a circular economy or bioeconomy, or developing innovative public policies and instruments.

Keywords: sustainable development; environmental Kuznets curve (EKC); forestry; GDP; decoupling process (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:11:y:2022:i:7:p:1097-:d:865601

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