Proverbs such as "waste not, want not" seem to have fallen out of fashion in an era marked by the relentless extraction of natural resources - everything from metals to wood, food crops and building sand for the construction industry.Now, amid renewed warnings that global extraction levels are not sustainable, South African resource experts are also worried about the slow pace of domestic waste recovery and plans to establish a more resource-efficient "circular economy".The latest report by the UN's International Resource Panel notes that while the human population has doubled over the past 50 years, the rate of resource extraction has tripled.The 2019 Global Resources Outlook, compiled by a panel of 39 science experts, predicts that annual resource extraction could soar to 190-billion tons within the next four decades (more than double the current rate of 92-billion tons, and seven times higher than 1970s extraction rates).The panel says arresting such rapid extraction will req...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.