Material Flows and Economic Development - Material Flow Analysis of the Hungarian Economy

TLDR: In this paper, the authors presented preliminary results of a material flow analysis (MFA) of the Hungarian economy for to years 1993-1997, showing that only a relative decoupling of material flows and economic activity has taken place during the last years.

Abstract: This report presents preliminary results of a material flow analysis (MFA) of the Hungarian Economy for to years 1993-1997. Material flow based indicators like Direct Material Input (DMI) and Total Material Requirement (TMR) are used as environmental sustainability indicators. The analysis of the structure of the material flows shows the share of domestic and foreign components and the shares of several material categories. The time series demonstrates that only a relative decoupling of material flows and economic activity has taken place during the last years. Although a decrease of the indicators per GDP during the last years of the analyzed period could be observed both material flows in absolute numbers and material flows per capita have increased. Material intensity of the Hungarian economy in terms of material requirement per economic output is higher -- and vice versa material efficiency is lower -- compared to Western Industrialized Countries. In contrast material inputs per capita are lower than in most Western Countries. The paper closes with a methodological discussion of the applied indicators and policy and research implications.