'Business as usual is dead': Global resource use smashes past 100 billion tonnes

Michael Holder
clock • 3 min read

Only fraction of metals, minerals, fossil fuels, and biomass extracted each year is reused, tipping planet towards ecological disaster, report warns

The global economy is now consuming over 100 billion tonnes of materials each year, with rapidly increasing resource use tipping the planet towards an environmental and climate catastrophe, a worrying...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

More on Recycling

'Key milestone': Government appoints official operator for Deposit Return Scheme

'Key milestone': Government appoints official operator for Deposit Return Scheme

UK Deposit Management Organisation Ltd to manage flagship scheme to incentivise recycling of single-use plastic and metal drinks containers

James Murray
clock 07 May 2025 • 4 min read
'New money for old stock': What is 'recommerce' and who's doing it well?

'New money for old stock': What is 'recommerce' and who's doing it well?

EXPLAINER - The executives behind increasingly popular 'recommerce' schemes at the likes of B&Q, Screwfix, Ikea and Reboxed unpack best practices on how to bring pre-owned products back into circulation

Stuart Stone
clock 02 May 2025 • 23 min read
Jaguar Land Rover claims £100m boost from reuse and refurbishment drive

Jaguar Land Rover claims £100m boost from reuse and refurbishment drive

Automotive giant calculates that reuse, refurbishment, repurposing, and recycling of its older equipment and tools has helped slash costs, waste, and emissions

Michael Holder
clock 29 April 2025 • 3 min read