Increasing use of natural resources and declining resource productivity

Consumption of natural resources has been growing rapidly inAsia and the Pacific leading to increasing pressures and impacts on the local environment. Resource efficiency is improving in many countries but not in the region as a whole
because of a shift in economic activity from resource-efficient to less resource-efficient countries.
• The region’s material consumption has increased sharply over the past four decades, accounting for more than 50 per cent of world consumption while material productivity has not improved and is double the world average.
• Energy provision continues to rely on fossil fuels and the share of renewable energy remains small despite very significant investment in renewable-energy infrastructure.
• The region accounts for more than 50 per cent of the world’s water use, and although water intensity has decreased sharply, it is still very high - more than double of the world average.
Decoupling economic growth from resource consumption has been achieved in some countries but north region as a whole.To meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Asia and the Pacific will need to greatly improve resource
efficiency and enabling policies will be required to facilitate sustainable consumption and production.