Title: Relative ecological footprints based on resource usage efficiency per capita: macro-level segmentation of 121 countries

Authors: D. Steven White, Adam J. Sulkowski

Addresses: Charlton College of Business, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA. ' Charlton College of Business, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 285 Old Westport Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA

Abstract: This paper makes a vital contribution to the fields of sustainability studies, environmental policy-making and green business planning by presenting evidence that contradicts widely accepted conventional wisdom about the relative environmental efficiency of countries as determined by resource usage per capita. Using model-based cluster analysis, this study forms and compares groups of countries that are statistically similar in terms of their global ecological impact per person. The three measures of efficiency – energy consumption per capita, emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂) per capita, and per capita paper and paper products consumption – are all related to a country|s comparative resource usage efficiency and contribution to climate change, a primary global concern. The authors offer theoretical and practical motivations for using model-based cluster analysis as well as provide interpretation and insight of the resulting clusters.

Keywords: relative ecological footprint; per capita resource usage; macro-level segmentation; model-based cluster analysis; sustainability; sustainable development; sustainable economy; environmental policy making; green business planning; environmental efficiency; climate change; per capita energy consumption; per capita carbon emissions; CO2 emissions; carbon dioxide; per capita paper consumption; paper products; environmental impact; greenhouse gases; GHG emissions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSE.2010.030761

International Journal of Sustainable Economy, 2010 Vol.2 No.2, pp.224 - 240

Published online: 03 Jan 2010 *

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