Sustainability, congestion and the dynamics of unified efficiency in nations

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to assess the dynamics of unified efficiency (both productive and environmental) across countries between 2006 and 2014, as well as the occurrence of congestion in global production. The analysis shows that desirable congestion – prioritized in an investigation that emphasizes sustainability – was found in only a small share of the 109 countries examined. Over time, the dynamics of unified efficiency changed very little, even amid the growing debates on climate change. The findings suggest that there remains considerable room for consistent environmental improvements, particularly through the development of eco-technologies.