The 'Environmental Kuznets Curve' hypothesizes that as an economy develops, environmental degradation initially increases, but after reaching a certain level of income, it eventually:

Answer: Decreases as society demands cleaner environments and adopts better technologies

The EKC suggests an inverted-U shaped relationship between income per capita and pollution. In early industrialization, growth prioritizes output over ecology. However, as nations become wealthier, citizens demand higher environmental standards, and the economy shifts toward services and clean technologies, leading to a reduction in environmental degradation.