For example, using World Bank data on the depreciation of a number of natural resources at the national level, economists estimate that, although GNP per capita has increased in the Indian sub-continent over the past three decades, wealth per capita has declined somewhat. The decline has occurred because, relative to population growth, fixed-capital investment, knowledge and skills, and improvements in institutions have not compensated for the degradation of natural capital.
例如，采用世界银行对国家层面上的几种自然资源的贬值数据，经济学家们估算虽然印度次大陆的人均GNP在过去30年里有所上升，但其人均财富水平却有所下降。其原因是与人口增长相应的固定资本投资、知识和技能以及制度的进步没有能够补偿自然资本的衰退。