Material indicators to support sustainability of economic system

Monitoring the transition of modern societies towards a path of sustainable development requires comprehensive and consistent information on the interactions between economic activities and the biosphere. It is crucial to recognize them because, despite the general impression, the economy is very dependent upon the natural environment both as a source of natural resources and as a sink for waste and pollution. Since the 1960s many research studies and approaches have been carried out highlighting this information in biophysical terms. The aim of this study is to describe the recent innovations in environmental quality management systems and new tools concerning analysis in physical terms.