United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released Global Resources Outlook 2024 report titled, ‘Bend the trend: Pathways to a liveable planet as resource use spikes’.
About the Report:
- The “Global Resources Outlook 2024” report by UNEP focuses on the importance of resource management in tackling the triple planetary crisis: climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss.
- It highlights how the global production and consumption of resources have increased more than three times over the last 50 years.
- It underscores the significant role of upper-income countries in driving the demand for resources.
- It points out the critical impacts of resource extraction and processing on GHG emissions, particulate matter pollution, biodiversity loss, and water stress.
- Its forecasts suggest resource exploitation could surge by almost 60% from 2020 levels by 2060.
Key Highlights of the Report:
- The report shows a vast global inequality, with low-income countries consuming six times less material than wealthy countries but causing ten times less climate impact.
- It notes a more than threefold increase in global resource production and consumption over the last 50 years, growing at an average of more than 2.3% annually, significantly contributing to the triple planetary crisis.
- Mainly driven by upper-income countries, over 55% of GHG emissions and 40% of particulate matter pollution come from the extraction and processing of resources like fossil fuels, minerals, and biomass.
- Additionally, 90% of land-related biodiversity loss and water stress, plus a third of GHG emissions, are linked to the agriculture and forestry sectors.
- Fossil fuels, metals, and non-metallic minerals (e.g., sand, gravel, clay) contribute to 35% of global emissions.
- The report warns that resource exploitation could surge by nearly 60% by 2060, increasing from 100 to 160 billion tonnes, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable resource management.
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