Global Resource Outlook

About Global Resource Outlook

• It is the flagship report of the International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme.
• This year’s report sheds light on how resources are essential to the effective implementation of the Agenda 2030 and multilateral environmental agreements to tackle the triple planetary crisis.
• It brings together the best available data, modelling and assessments from 180 countries, seven world regions and four income groups, to analyse trends, impacts and distributional effects of resource use. 

Highlights of the report

• It presents a stark picture of global inequality, where low-income countries consume six times less materials compared to wealthy countries, despite generating 10 times less climate impacts.
• Global production and consumption of material resources has grown more than three times over the last 50 years, growing at an average of more than 2.3 per cent a year, despite the increase being the main driver of the triple planetary crisis.
• The consumption and use of resources is largely driven by demand in upper income countries.
• The extraction and processing of material resources — including fossil fuels, minerals, non-metallic minerals and biomass — accounts for over 55 per cent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 40 per cent of particulate matter poisoning the environment.
• The extraction and processing of agricultural crops and forestry products accounts for 90 per cent of land-related biodiversity loss and water stress and a third of GHG emissions.
• The extraction and processing of fossil fuels, metals and non-metallic minerals including sand, gravel and clay account for 35 per cent of global emissions. 
• Despite this, resource exploitation could increase by almost 60 per cent from 2020 levels by 2060 — from 100 to 160 billion tonnes.

Q1) What is the objective of the United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP)?

It acts as a facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. Foundation: Established in 1972, UNEP is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system.

Source: UNEA-6: Extraction & use of world’s resources has grown three times more in 50 years