'No tomorrow' for many unless consumption falls - U.N.

Global exploitation of natural resources - from water, sand, and timber to oil, coal and gemstones - has more than tripled in 50 years, the United Nations said on Tuesday, warning of devastating environmental impacts unless demand is reduced.

Surging consumption of natural resources - 92 billion tonnes in 2017 - accounts for half of the world’s planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions and over 90 percent of the world’s biodiversity loss, the Global Resources Outlook 2019 found.