Abstract
Exploring the links between economic growth, material consumption and social well-being is a fundamental condition for economic policy to consistently and meaningfully implement sustainability considerations. Although economic expansion often goes hand in hand with an improvement in living standards, the social impact of growth depends largely on the amount of materials used and the composition of the energy structure. Our study examines how domestic material consumption (DMC) and the energy mix influence social development in different economic environments. We used panel data and several econometric methods for our analysis. Our results show that excessive material consumption hinders sustainable development in the long run, while a higher share of renewable energy sources has a positive effect on social well-being and economic stability. The research highlights the paramount importance of resource-efficient management and energy diversification, which are essential for the development of policy strategies supporting sustainable growth and lasting well-being. Due to the length of the study, it is published in two parts, where the first part describes the literature and theoretical background, while the second presents the research results and their interpretation.
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