The basic conclusions from this brief review of
mineral resources are;
- Mineral and energy resources are likely to become
increasingly more difficult to provide, possibly
leading to a doubling of energy cost in 30 years.
Even now only the heavily developed more affluent
nations have much access to these resources.
- If the present pattern of use were to continue with
world demand increasing at 2% per annum, oil would
probably be largely exhausted by 2060 and all the
potentially recoverable fossil fuels would probably
be exhausted by 2175. In addition we should be
drastically reducing use of fossil fuels to solve the
greenhouse problem.
- It seems unlikely that all people will have anywhere
near the per capita resource use we average today.
- Renewable energy sources, such as the sun and the
wind cannot currently enable all people to live in an
industrial-consumer society.
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