Economic growth in Iran driving environmental degradation, study finds.
Environmental pollution is a big problem worldwide due to economic growth. A study in Iran looked at how economic and social factors affect pollution from 1971-2015. They used a special model to analyze the data. The results showed that economic growth, energy use, trade, finance, and urbanization all increase pollution. Surprisingly, human development actually decreases pollution. This means that policies should focus on balancing economic growth with environmental protection.