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Environment

A look at some of the world's scarcest resources

July 29 marks Earth Overshoot Day, the day on which we've used up our entire annual natural resource allotment. DW looks at some of the world's scarcest resources that are running out faster and faster each year.

  • Children carrying drinking water (picture-alliance/Zumapress)
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    Water – The source of life

    In some parts of the world access to freshwater is taken for granted, but it's actually a luxury. Freshwater only makes up 2.5% of the world's total volume, and more than half of that is ice. Agriculture uses 70% of what's actually usable. By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population is expected to suffer from water scarcity, which will affect all aspects of people's lives.

  • Rice farmer working in Indonesia (Imago/Blickwinkel)

    Land – The new gold

    Competition for land is growing across the globe. As the world's population continues to grow, the available land doesn't and is increasingly degrading. Extreme weather events due to climate change add to the equation. Countries with a large population or scarce land areas for agriculture, such as China and Saudi Arabia, are already seeking land in Africa. Land is seen as the new gold.

  • World's largest natural gas platform (picture-alliance/dpaH. Oeyvind)

    Fossil fuels – Speak of the devil

    And speaking of oil, fossil fuels should surely have a place at the table of the world's scarce resources if anything because they can't be replenished. Continuing today's rate of consumption will eventually lead to their depletion. This could prove a huge challenge for countries, like Iraq and Libya, which have traditionally had large oil and natural gas reserves.

  • A miner in a coal mine in Katowice (picture alliance/PAP/A. Grygiel)
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    Coal – Time to break up

    The same goes for coal. Even if countries like Germany are reluctant to move away from this polluting source of energy, the reserves are emptying. In Poland, lignite (or brown coal) reserves from operating mines are expected to run out by 2030. Hard coal might last a little longer, but not much, experts say. Therefore, the country might be forced to break up with coal soon – even if it hurts.

  • Sand mine in Germany (picture-alliance/ZB/P. Förster)
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    Sand everywhere and nowhere

    If we think of a desert, sand seems infinite, but its natural production is actually a rather slow process. Sand is a renewable resource, but it's being used at such a fast rate for things like construction that nature doesn't have time to reproduce it. In developing regions like East Africa, where the population is expected to double by roughly 2050, sand could become a scarce resource.

  • An officer holds a pangolin (picture-alliance/Zuma/I. Damanik)
    More

    Running out of species

    Careless behavior with regard to all living beings on this planet is pushing several species to the brink of extinction. Animals are widely seen as resource for humans, and as such pangolins, rhinos, vaquitas or seahorses could be included in the list of scarce natural resources. If they continue to be exploited resources unsustainably, human life will be at risk.

  • A damaged road in Pakistan (AFP/S. Qayyum)

    The scarcest resource of all? Time

    It seems like everything is falling apart and as if nothing more can be done to prevent an bleak future. Yet, one thing that's still available is time, a scarce but extremely valuable resource. Some say the climate emergency could still be reversed if action is taken over the next 12 years. And for once, we are allowed to exploit a resource to the fullest. There is no time to lose.


  • Children carrying drinking water (picture-alliance/Zumapress)
    More

    Water – The source of life

    In some parts of the world access to freshwater is taken for granted, but it's actually a luxury. Freshwater only makes up 2.5% of the world's total volume, and more than half of that is ice. Agriculture uses 70% of what's actually usable. By 2050, two-thirds of the world's population is expected to suffer from water scarcity, which will affect all aspects of people's lives.

  • Rice farmer working in Indonesia (Imago/Blickwinkel)

    Land – The new gold

    Competition for land is growing across the globe. As the world's population continues to grow, the available land doesn't and is increasingly degrading. Extreme weather events due to climate change add to the equation. Countries with a large population or scarce land areas for agriculture, such as China and Saudi Arabia, are already seeking land in Africa. Land is seen as the new gold.

  • World's largest natural gas platform (picture-alliance/dpaH. Oeyvind)

    Fossil fuels – Speak of the devil

    And speaking of oil, fossil fuels should surely have a place at the table of the world's scarce resources if anything because they can't be replenished. Continuing today's rate of consumption will eventually lead to their depletion. This could prove a huge challenge for countries, like Iraq and Libya, which have traditionally had large oil and natural gas reserves.

  • A miner in a coal mine in Katowice (picture alliance/PAP/A. Grygiel)
    More

    Coal – Time to break up

    The same goes for coal. Even if countries like Germany are reluctant to move away from this polluting source of energy, the reserves are emptying. In Poland, lignite (or brown coal) reserves from operating mines are expected to run out by 2030. Hard coal might last a little longer, but not much, experts say. Therefore, the country might be forced to break up with coal soon – even if it hurts.

  • Sand mine in Germany (picture-alliance/ZB/P. Förster)
    More

    Sand everywhere and nowhere

    If we think of a desert, sand seems infinite, but its natural production is actually a rather slow process. Sand is a renewable resource, but it's being used at such a fast rate for things like construction that nature doesn't have time to reproduce it. In developing regions like East Africa, where the population is expected to double by roughly 2050, sand could become a scarce resource.

  • An officer holds a pangolin (picture-alliance/Zuma/I. Damanik)
    More

    Running out of species

    Careless behavior with regard to all living beings on this planet is pushing several species to the brink of extinction. Animals are widely seen as resource for humans, and as such pangolins, rhinos, vaquitas or seahorses could be included in the list of scarce natural resources. If they continue to be exploited resources unsustainably, human life will be at risk.

  • A damaged road in Pakistan (AFP/S. Qayyum)

    The scarcest resource of all? Time

    It seems like everything is falling apart and as if nothing more can be done to prevent an bleak future. Yet, one thing that's still available is time, a scarce but extremely valuable resource. Some say the climate emergency could still be reversed if action is taken over the next 12 years. And for once, we are allowed to exploit a resource to the fullest. There is no time to lose.


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