Research Information System
Acta Polytechnica Hungarica, vol.23, no.6, pp.9-28, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Consumption and production practices have profound environmental impacts. Embracing sustainable consumption and production methods is essential for efficient resource utilization, respecting ecological boundaries, and alleviating pressure on natural resources. This approach not only fosters overall well-being but also ensures the preservation of a healthy environment and resources for future generations. Sustainable Development Goal 12 (SDG 12) offers crucial metrics for assessing progress in these areas. Within the European Union, monitoring SDG 12 emphasizes decoupling environmental impacts from economic growth and focuses on trends in energy consumption and waste management. This work investigates the relationship between economic development, indicated by Real GDP per capita, and sustainable production and consumption, represented by the Circular Material Use Rate, in the Visegrad Group (V4) countries: Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. Additionally, it examines the connections between these indicators and the objectives of SDG 8 ‘Decent Work and Economic Growth’ and SDG 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’. Through regression analysis, the study identifies a significant positive correlation between Real GDP per capita and the Circular Material Use Rate, particularly in the Czech Republic.