Global Resources Outlook 2024

• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released Global Resources Outlook 2024 report titled, ‘Bend the trend: Pathways to a liveable planet as resource use spikes’.
• It is the flagship report of the International Resource Panel of the United Nations Environment Programme.
• Report sheds light on how resources are essential to effective implementation of Agenda 2030 and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) to tackle the triple planetary crisis (TPC).
  • TPC refers to the three interlinked crises- climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss.

MAJOR FINDINGS

• Low-income countries consume six times less materials compared to wealthy countries, despite generating 10 times less climate impacts.
• 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.