The UN Environment Programme's International Resource Panel released its 2024 Global Resource Outlook, highlighting the significant increase in the extraction of Earth's natural resources predicted by 2060. This surge in resource extraction poses a threat to climate goals and economic prosperity, according to the report.

Over the past fifty years, there has been a tripling in the world's use of materials, driven by substantial growth in infrastructure, energy demand, and consumer consumption, particularly in wealthier nations. The report indicates that the demand for natural resources continues to grow at a rate of more than 2.3 percent per year.

Wealthier countries are identified as major contributors to this demand, using six times more materials and causing ten times more climate impacts compared to low-income countries. The extraction and processing of these resources account for over 60 percent of planet-warming emissions, harming ecosystems and human health in the process.

Lead author Hans Bruyninckx emphasized that if the current trajectory continues, it will significantly exceed the temperature limits set in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The report underscores the urgent need for change, highlighting the necessity of balancing human interaction with nature.

To address these challenges, the report calls for sweeping changes in energy, food, transport, and housing sectors. Policy changes, particularly in high-consumption countries, are recommended to reduce resource use, greenhouse gas emissions, and improve health outcomes while still allowing for economic growth.

The report suggests actions such as dietary changes to reduce food waste and consumption of animal protein, more efficient transport systems, and denser housing using recycled materials. In developing countries, the focus should be on maximizing benefits while minimizing environmental and health impacts.

Additionally, the report calls for environmental costs to be factored into commodity prices and trade agreements to ensure more sustainable practices. Bruyninckx emphasized the importance of utilizing government capacities to shift the economy towards a more sustainable direction.