Global exploitation of natural resources – from water, sand and timber to oil, coal and gemstones – has more than tripled in 50 years, the United Nations (UN) said on Tuesday, warning of devastating environmental impacts unless demand is reduced. Surging consumption of natural resources – 92-billion tonnes in 2017 – accounts for half of the world’s planet-heating greenhouse-gas emissions and over 90% of the world’s biodiversity loss, the Global Resources Outlook 2019 found.
