Abstract
Rapid socioeconomic development has caused numerous environmental impacts. Human production and consumption activities are the underlying drivers of resource uses, environmental emissions, and associated environmental impacts (e.g., ecosystem quality and human health). Reducing environmental impacts requires an understanding of the complex interactions between socioeconomic system and environmental system. Existing studies have explored the relationships among human society, economic system, and environmental system. However, it is unclear about the research progress in the effects of socioeconomic activities on environmental impacts and the potential directions of future research. This critical review finds that existing studies have identified critical regions, sectors, and transmission pathways for resource uses, environmental emissions, and environmental impacts from supply chain perspectives. Moreover, scholars have characterized the impacts of socioeconomic transitions on resource uses and environmental emissions. However, existing studies overlook the dynamic nature of the interconnections among human society, economic system, and environmental system. In addition, the effects of socioeconomic structural transitions on environmental impacts remain unknown. This review proposes four prospects and possible solutions that will contribute to a better understanding of the complex interactions among human society, economic system, and environmental system. They can help identify more effective solutions to reduce environmental impacts through socioeconomic transitions.
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27 December 2022
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Acknowledgements
This work was financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2022YFF1301200) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71874014). We also thank the comments and suggestions from Haifeng Zhou, Yumeng Li, Xiaohui Wu, Sha Peng, and Jetashree.
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Highlights
• Reducing environmental impacts through socioeconomic structural transitions.
• Simulation of looping the dynamic material cycle should be concerned.
• Transboundary effects of socioeconomic transitions need to be analyzed.
• Facilitating interregional cooperation and synergetic control mechanisms.
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Liang, S., Zhong, Q. Reducing environmental impacts through socioeconomic transitions: critical review and prospects. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng. 17, 24 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-023-1624-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-023-1624-1