Technological change supports human development based on industrial expansion and mass production in society, but it also generates resource-consuming and environmental damaging. To put it differently, human activity and development induce anthropogenic environmental effects damaging ecosystems (Coccia, 2021). Some scholars consider the relationship between human development and negative impact on environment as an inverted U-shaped curve –environmental Kuznets curve – because technological change increases the pollution in the early stages of economic development, but beyond some levels of wealth, wealthier geographical areas can lead to environmental improvement with sustainable technologies and environmental policies (Ansuategi et al., 1998; Coccia, 2018, 2021, 2019a; Stern, 2004). Current, capitalism model has positive sides but it is also the source of high rate of resource use, mismanagement of both renewable and nonrenewable resources, social inequality, and environmental pollution (Baumol et al., 2007). Meadows et al. (1972) argue that in conventional environmental analyses the issue of a shortage or depletion of natural resources is due to overpopulation (Malthusian approach). The Royal Society of London suggests the need “to develop socio-economic systems and institutions that are not dependent on continued material consumption growth” (Sulston, 2012). The solution of these problems of capitalism and continuous development is to stop high level of capital accumulation to mitigate the risk factors of degradation of the environment at a global level. The organization of economic system should be directed to sustainable technologies, eco innovations and circular economies in local, regional, and global ecosystems to reduce environmental risks and preserve a healthy biosphere for all people (Magdoff, 2013; Magdoff and Bellamy Foster, 2011; Saeli et al., 2022). The world can experience in future a period of great tension internationally for energy issues, conflicts and climate change, such that the transition to sustainable energy systems and technologies will represent an important goal to achieve as soon as possible. Countries have to support the rapid development of alternative renewable energy sources and sustainable technologies for a comprehensive green strategy to mitigate, whenever possible, next social, economic and political tensions with the transition from conventional to sustainable energy systems (Calza et al., 2020; Nti et al., 2022). As urban and national conditions can likely deteriorate still further for energy, economic and social issues, a sustainable world needs resolution approaches and to reduce unsustainable energy and industrial policies, associated with manifold risk factors, and foster new sustainable communities based on an equilibrium between environment, natural resources and human society: a model of ecosocialism for a better cooperation among people to deal with resource limits (Aidnik, 2022; Adaman and Devine, 2022). In addition, the reduction of negative impact of human activity and environmental risks on ecosystems should be also based on industrial policies to support sustainable technological innovations (cf., Khan et al., 2022; Sterner and Coria, 2012).
As far as I am concerned, technological change is a human activity that has a main role for human development and wellbeing, though it is generating anthropogenic environmental change and a huge negative impact on ecosystems. However, some negative effects can be removed in the long run with new sustainable technology, eco innovations, green strategies and new organization of socioeconomic systems directed to reduce environmental pollution. In brief, human activity should be engaged in sustainable technological innovations and economic systems wot a lung-run strategies to reduce coal and petroleum-based economies and, as a consequence, the negative impact of human interactions on ecosystems for the real well-being of future generations. According to Linstone (2010, p. 1417, original emphasis): “the global future will strongly depend on our willingness to take near-term action for a sustainable long-term future” (cf., Rosen, 2010).
This study has tried to provide, through empirical evidence, main technological trajectories for future sustainability. However, we know that other things are often not equal over time because technological development, human conflicts, continuous production and high resource depletion have an infinite set of consequences on environment and human society with a growing population, such that results provide temporary and partial truths in the presence of complex systems and interactions. Despite some limitations, the results presented here illustrate critical technological trajectories for sustainable development that may reduce risk factors of environmental pollution and health disorders. The description of these directions of sustainable technologies here provide information to extend knowledge to support numerous implications for decision making of policymakers and funding agencies regarding sponsoring specific research fields and technological trajectories that can accelerate the development of sustainable socioeconomic systems (cf., Coccia, 2018d, 2019, 2021a).
Nevertheless, these conclusions are of course tentative. Future research should consider new data when available, and when possible, apply new approaches to reinforce proposed results directed to explain the evolution of sustainable technologies. Hence, there is need for much more research in these topics because of complex confounding and situational factors that affect the interactions between natural and socioeconomic systems.