Abstract
We examine distributions of pollution and wealth among countries over a 20 year period. We distinguish between pollution produced within a country and pollution triggered along global supply chains by a country's consumption. We explain pollution and wealth distributions via network characteristics. Our findings show a positive, (log-) linear relationship between a country's network position and both ways of accounting for pollution. In addition, core countries and/or ones with higher numbers and volume of export ties increase their shares of global wealth faster than shares of pollution.
Acknowledgments
This paper is part of an ongoing research project pertaining to global trade networks and environmental outcomes at the University of Maryland's Sustainability Modeling Group (http://sustainabilitymodeling.umd.edu/). I would like to thank members of that group for their assistance in this work, namely, Kuishuang Feng, Klaus Hubacek, and Laixiang Sun.
Notes
1 I thank Dr. Kuishuang Feng for his assistance.
2 I thank Professor Laixiang Sun for his assistance.