Assessing Global Resource Use: A System Approach to Resource Efficiency and Pollution Reduction

This interim report evaluates the status and prospects of sustainable consumption and production to inform international environmental policy. By examining the relationship between material resource use and pollution, the document establishes that extraction and processing drive significant environmental pressures, including greenhouse gas emissions and waste. The scope encompasses global material flows from 1970 to 2017, focusing on biomass, fossil fuels, metals and non-metallic minerals. Methodologically, the analysis employs a systems approach and life-cycle perspective, utilizing a multi-country database and material footprint indicators. Key findings indicate that global resource extraction has tripled since 1970, with high-income nations maintaining disproportionately large footprints. Enhanced resource efficiency and circular economy transitions are presented as essential mechanisms for achieving sustainable development.