Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of trends in worldwide resource use and resource productivity based on material flow data. In the light of overall expanding resource use and limited biological capacities on the planet, two main types of resource scarcities are presented. Implications of growing resource use reach from increasing competition for natural resources to severe damages to the ecosystem. In order to achieve the necessary worldwide absolute reduction of resource use we suggest to comprehensively measure and report global resource use on micro and macroeconomic levels, i.e. for products, companies, industries and countries as well as implementing policy measures such as information campaigns, environmental tax reforms and global regulation.
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Giljum, S., Hinterberger, F. (2014). The Limits of Resource Use and Their Economic and Policy Implications. In: Angrick, M., Burger, A., Lehmann, H. (eds) Factor X. Eco-Efficiency in Industry and Science, vol 29. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5706-6_1
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