The Dirt: We Can End Poverty and Protect the Environment Together

Eliminating poverty likely would lead to greater resource consumption, creating an additional burden on the environment. But with an eye on social justice, it is possible to end poverty and protect the environment at the same time, according to an international study involving University of Arizona researchers.

The publication in Nature Sustainability investigates the environmental impacts of raising living standards among the world's poorest populations to ensure that everyone has access to minimum resources, including food, water, energy, and basic infrastructure. The authors found that the effort would cause an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, land and water use, and pollution.

However, these environmental damages still would be modest compared to the continual cost of the world's highest per capita resource consumers. If the highest consumers diminish their use by a fraction, the poorest third of humanity could be lifted out of poverty, without accruing additional environmental cost. It is a matter of deciding what our societies value most.
 
UArizona Regents Professor Emerita in the School of Geography, Development and Environment Diana Liverman and postdoctoral research associate Lauren Gifford contributed to the paper, along with colleagues around the world.