Running Out of Resources: Countries Need To Learn How To Do More With Less, Says The U.N.
May 13, 2011 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis The greatest threat to most countries, today, doesn’t come from outside forces as much as it comes from their own internal economic stresses caused by depleting resources. The world is already running out of high quality natural resources such as oil, cooper, and gold, says a new report by the United Nations Environmental Program.
A South African palladium mine. Photo by Precious Metal News.
The report found that the best and most easily accessible mineral ores and fossil fuels are being exhausted at an extremely rapid pace. It estimates that by 2050, humanity could devour an estimated 140 billion tons of minerals, ores, fossil fuel, and biomass per year – three times the current consumption rate.
These findings represented an unsustainable future in terms of both resource use and emissions. Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N.’s environmental program expressed his views in a speech saying, “People believe environmental ‘bads’ are the price we must pay for economic ‘goods.’ However, we cannot and need not continue to act as if this trade-off is inevitable.
“Transitioning to low carbon, resource efficient, green economies is needed in order to stimulate growth, generate decent kinds of employment, and eradicate poverty in ways that keep humanity’s footprint within planetary boundaries.”