Factor X – 25 Years – “Factor X Concept” Is Essential for Achieving Sustainable Development

Abstract

A dematerialisation of industrialised countries by a Factor of 10 (minus 90%) was first suggested 25 years ago in order to achieve sustainable economic development worldwide by 2050. The Factor 10 postulate was a response to two realities: first, anthropogenic material flows have increased dramatically since the first Industrial Revolution, and second, the richest countries consume significantly more natural resources per capita than the world’s poorest countries. Twenty-five years later these facts have not changed in principle, and a global per capita consumption of three to eight tonnes of primary raw material must be reached in this century. Today the term “Factor X” is often used instead of “Factor 10”, because the necessary dematerialisation is different from country to country. Industrialised countries have higher targets. The article describes the beginning of the Factor X postulate in the early 1990s as well as developments thereafter and discusses today’s options and challenges for tomorrow.