Measurement of environmental sustainability index and its association with socio-economic indicators in selected Asian economies: an empirical investigation

The present study created the environmental sustainability index (ESI) for selected 22 Asian economies during 1990-2012. Composite z-score technique was applied to estimate country-wise ESI which explores the relative performance of these economies in environmental sustainability (ES). For this, seven main components with 25 sub-indicators of environmental performance (EP) were chosen. Thereupon, it assessed the association among the ESI, human development (HD), economic development and social development using linear, log-linear and nonlinear regression models. It implies that economic development, HD and social development have significant and complex association with ESI. It emphasises that global and national policy makers, governmental agents and international development organisations need to take effective action to maintain ES. Otherwise, world's economies would be unable to achieve the path of sustainable economic development in future. It brings out some conclusive policy suggestions to maintain the environmental sustainability, economic development, HD, social development and sustainable development in Asian economies.