THE IMPORTANCE OF MATERIAL FLOWS INDICATORS AND THE EVALUATION OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT IN SLOVAKIA

11th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM2011, www.sgem.org, SGEM2011 Conference Proceedings/ ISSN 1314-2704, June 20-25, 2011, Vol. 3, 1211-1220 pp

ABSTRACT

The competitiveness of economy both at the national and regional levels needs to be
perceived in close context with the principle of sustainable development because
competitiveness and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. The concept of
sustainable development encompasses three pillars: economic, social and
environmental. If we are to analyse these three dimensions of sustainable development,
there shall be suitable indicators available that would be capable of expressing mutual
relationships between economic, environmental and social dimensions. The aim of the
paper is to highlight the importance of indicators for monitoring of environmental
sustainability. Of the whole set of indicators, only indicators of material flows
developed in accordance with the Eurostat methodology are considered and assessed in
the paper based on the analysis of the material flows at the macroeconomic level as well
as their significance, application and development in the conditions of the SR.

Keywords: indicators of material flows, material productivity, material intensity, decoupling