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From resource extraction to outflows of wastes and emissions: The socioeconomic metabolism of the global economy, 1900-2015.

ABSTRACT: The size and structure of the socioeconomic metabolism are key for the planet's sustainability. In this article, we provide a consistent assessment of the development of material flows through the global economy in the period 1900-2015 using material flow accounting in combination with results from dynamic stock-flow modelling. Based on this approach, we can trace materials from extraction to their use, their accumulation in in-use stocks and finally to outflows of wastes and emissions and provide a comprehensive picture of the evolution of societies metabolism during global industrialization. This enables outlooks on inflows and outflows, which environmental policy makers require for pursuing strategies towards a more sustainable resource use. Over the whole time period, we observe a growth in global material extraction by a factor of 12 to 89?Gt/yr. A shift from materials for dissipative use to stock building materials resulted in a massive increase of in-use stocks of materials to 961?Gt in 2015. Since materials increasingly accumulate in stocks, outflows of wastes are growing at a slower pace than inputs. In 2015, outflows amounted to 58?Gt/yr, of which 35% were solid wastes and 25% emissions, the reminder being excrements, dissipative use and water vapor. Our results indicate a significant acceleration of global material flows since the beginning of the 21st century. We show that this acceleration, which took off in 2002, was not a short-term phenomenon but continues since more than a decade. Between 2002 and 2015, global material extraction increased by 53% in spite of the 2008 economic crisis. Based on detailed data on material stocks and flows and information on their long-term historic development, we make a rough estimate of what a global convergence of metabolic patterns at the current level in industrialized countries paired with a continuation of past efficiency gains might imply for global material demand. We find that in such a scenario until 2050 average global metabolic rates double to 22?t/cap/yr and material extraction increases to around 218?Gt/yr. Overall the analysis indicates a grand challenge calling for urgent action, fostering a continuous and considerable reduction of material flows to acceptable levels.

SUBMITTER: Krausmann F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6333294 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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From resource extraction to outflows of wastes and emissions: The socioeconomic metabolism of the global economy, 1900-2015.

Krausmann Fridolin F Lauk Christian C Haas Willi W Wiedenhofer Dominik D

Global environmental change : human and policy dimensions 20180901

The size and structure of the socioeconomic metabolism are key for the planet's sustainability. In this article, we provide a consistent assessment of the development of material flows through the global economy in the period 1900-2015 using material flow accounting in combination with results from dynamic stock-flow modelling. Based on this approach, we can trace materials from extraction to their use, their accumulation in in-use stocks and finally to outflows of wastes and emissions and provi ...[more]

PMID: 30679887

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Project description:Background:Baseline data on global research activity on health and human rights (HHR) needs to be assessed and analyzed to identify research gaps and to prioritize funding and research agendas. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the growth of publications and research pattern on HHR. Methods:A bibliometric methodology was used. Literature on HHR was retrieved using SciVerse Scopus for the study period from 1900 to 2017. Nine different search scenarios with different keyword combinations were used to retrieve the required documents. All types of documents published in peer-reviewed journals, including editorials, were included. The search strategy was validated. Results:In total 6513 documents were retrieved with an h-index of 88 and an average of 9.8 citations per document. Publications on HHR field started as early as 1950 but showed a steep rise in the past two decades. Visualization of author keywords revealed that HIV/ AIDS, mental health, maternal and reproductive health, violence, ethics, torture, and refugees were most commonly encountered keywords. The journal "Health and Human Rights" was most active (n?=?467; 7.2%) in this field. However, documents that appeared in The Lancet received the highest impact (29.5 citations per document). The United States of America produced the most in this field (n?=?1817; 27.9%). Researchers in the region of Americas participated in approximately 45% of the retrieved documents while researchers in the Eastern Mediterranean region had the least contribution (2.5%). Researchers in high-income countries contributed to approximately 78% of the retrieved documents while researchers in low-income countries contributed to less than 5% of the retrieved documents. When data were standardized by population size, the research output from high-income countries was approximately four documents per one million inhabitants. For middle-income countries, the research output was 0.3 document per one million inhabitants. For low-income countries, the research output was 0.5 document per one million inhabitants. Conclusions:Differential research productivity on HHR was seen among scholars in different world regions. World countries need to encourage and strengthen research on HHR in order to achieve the goals set in international agreements of human rights.

Dataset Information

From resource extraction to outflows of wastes and emissions: The socioeconomic metabolism of the global economy, 1900-2015.

Publications

From resource extraction to outflows of wastes and emissions: The socioeconomic metabolism of the global economy, 1900-2015.

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