Eco-efficiency between countries: the use of the Free Disposal Hull method

Abstract

The concept of eco-efficiency arose from the need for collective actions to protect the environment, looking for production options less damaging to natural resources. The objective of this research was to analyze the Eco-efficiency Index (EI) of 60 countries through the non-parametric FDH efficiency boundary estimator for the years 1991 to 2014. Analyzing the ranking of the countries it is concluded that 19 countries achieved maximum eco-efficiency in all the years analyzed. When analyzing the classification of the Eco-efficiency Index, the high IE is mostly rich and developed countries. The average and low IE is made up of countries, in general, in economic growth. And finally, in very low EI countries, as a rule, are poor. The only increase in the analyzed period occurred in the average IE, thus exposing a positive evaluation of the world scenario regarding ecoefficiency, since the classification of medium and high EI concentrates more than half of the countries of the sample analyzed in the year 2014. Displaying That there is still a need for joint actions focused on eco-efficiency, investing more in renewable energies, clean technologies, preservation of forest areas and, lastly, no less important in environmental education, so that today's children are already growing ecologically conscious.