Context: Recently, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released Global Resources Outlook 2024 report titled, ‘Bend the trend: Pathways to a liveable planet as resource use spikes’.

• The world is in the midst of a triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution and waste. 

• The global economy is consuming ever more natural resources, while the world is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

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.