Natural resources are, therefore, vital for securing economic growth and development, not just today
but for future generations.
The relationship between economic growth and the environment is complex. Several different drivers come into play, including the scale and composition of the economy – particularly the share of services in GDP as opposed to primary industries and manufacturing – and changes in technology that have the potential to reduce the environmental impacts of production and consumption decisions whilst also driving economic growth.
With many key natural resources and ecosystems services scarce or under pressure, achieving sustained economic growth will require absolute decoupling of the production of goods and services from their environmental impacts1. This means consuming environmental resources in a sustainable manner – whether by improving the efficiency of resource consumption or by adopting new production techniques and product designs. It also means avoiding breaches in critical thresholds beyond which natural assets cannot be replaced and can no longer support the desired level of economic activity. Existing commitments to avoid dangerous climate change exemplify the need for absolute decoupling, requiring a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, even in the face of an expanding global economy