Environmental degradation is a consequence of previous technological advances.

Yes and no.

As previous technological advances was one of the major factor of environmental degradation because we use them to hurt nature. However, Environmental degradation is more a consequence of humans uncaring for the environment (over extracting ressources, spilling oil in the ocean, having huge mountains of detritus that is extremely hurtful to other species). Previous technological advances was a tool used by humans, like the steam locomotive etc. and obviously didn't help but it isn't exactly what caused environmental degradation.

They are called independent