By 2060, global extraction of natural resources will increase by 60%, which poses a risk of catastrophic consequences for the climate and the environment, according to an unpublished UN study cited by The Guardian.
The study notes that mining has already become the main cause of global warming and such adversary effects as land-use change, air pollution, water scarcity and loss of biodiversity.
According to Janez Potocnik, a former European commissioner and co-chair of the UN group that conducted the research, an increase in the extraction of raw materials on a projected scale is likely to lead to more frequent and severe climate disasters such as storms and droughts.
Therefore, reducing resource consumption is essential to minimize environmental pressure. To solve this problem, the policy of the world community in relation to the closed-loop economy should focus not only on GDP growth, but also control the production of "green" goods, experts warn.
So, according to their data, electric vehicles consume almost 10 times more "critical raw materials" compared to conventional cars, and achieving zero emissions from transport by 2050 will require a six-fold increase in the extraction of necessary minerals.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
