Decoupling Resource Consumption from Economic Growth: A Comparative Study of China, Europe, and the United States

This article presents a comprehensive comparative analysis of the relationship between economic growth and resource consumption, with a focus on the degree of decoupling in three major global economies: China, Europe, and the United States. As the global community faces pressing sustainability and environmental challenges, understanding how economic development intersects with resource utilisation in these regions has become increasingly critical. Previous research on decoupling has largely assumed positive economic growth; however, some countries have experienced periods of negative growth over the last two decades. This study extends decoupling criteria to incorporate such scenarios. The analysis begins with an examination of the interplay between economic growth, population growth, and domestic material consumption, followed by a detailed decoupling assessment. Results indicate that while China has made significant strides in improving resource efficiency over the past decade, its performance still lags behind that of the United States and Europe due to its stage of development. Nevertheless, China has demonstrated the most significant improvement in decoupling economic growth from material consumption, particularly during the second decade of the study period. Over the past 20 years, China has made notable advances in decoupling fossil fuel and metallic minerals consumption. By contrast, the United States (while showing the highest overall level of decoupling) has experienced a decline in performance, especially with respect to metallic and non-metallic minerals. Europe, meanwhile, has maintained a relatively stable decoupling trend.