PARIS, France (AFP) — Global use of raw materials is expected to double by 2060, “placing twice the pressure on the environment” than at present, according to an OECD study released on Monday.
The study “sees global materials use rising to 167 gigatonnes in 2060 from 90 gigatonnes today,” the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, a group of advanced economies, said.
It gave increases in population, economic activity and living standards around the world as key reasons for the rise, and underscored the environmental impact of such a jump.
The OECD forecasts a global population of 10 billion people in 2060 and an average global income per capita near the group’s current level of $40,000 (35,000 euros).
The result “is likely to worsen pollution of air, water and soils, and contribute significantly to climate change,” the group said.
© Agence France-Presse
