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Cutting growth, emissions doesn’t mean giving up the good life

Countries with high incomes and high carbon emissions do not achieve higher life expectancies than those with moderate incomes and lower carbon emissions, a new study finds.

The finding challenges the assumption that human well-being requires growth in both economic activity and carbon emissions.

The study highlights alternative development plans that place a priority on human well-being and climate protection over demands for economic growth.

Researchers investigated links between carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, economic wealth, and life expectancy and found that, ideally, from a sustainable development perspective, countries would achieve both high incomes and high life expectancies at low levels of carbon emissions.

Read more at University of Leeds

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