International economics of resource productivity – Relevance, measurement, empirical trends, innovation, resource policies

Bleischwitz, Raimund

doi:10.1007/s10368-010-0170-z

Cited by 58 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Our analysis does not support the observation of resource productivity increases in developed countries over the past decades (7,8,59). A less steep increase in the GDP/MF with income (compared with GDP/ DMC) demonstrates that countries might find it more difficult than previously thought to increase resource productivity as their economies mature.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 54%

The material footprint of nations

Wiedmann

Schandl

Lenzen

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

1,284

778

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Metrics on resource productivity currently used by governments suggest that some developed countries have increased the use of natural resources at a slower rate than economic growth (relative decoupling) or have even managed to use fewer resources over time (absolute decoupling). Using the material footprint (MF), a consumption-based indicator of resource use, we find the contrary: Achievements in decoupling in advanced economies are smaller than reported or even nonexistent. We present a time series analysis of the MF of 186 countries and identify material flows associated with global production and consumption networks in unprecedented specificity. By calculating raw material equivalents of international trade, we demonstrate that countries' use of nondomestic resources is, on average, about threefold larger than the physical quantity of traded goods. As wealth grows, countries tend to reduce their domestic portion of materials extraction through international trade, whereas the overall mass of material consumption generally increases. With every 10% increase in gross domestic product, the average national MF increases by 6%. Our findings call into question the sole use of current resource productivity indicators in policy making and suggest the necessity of an additional focus on consumptionbased accounting for natural resource use.raw material consumption | multiregion input-output analysis | sustainable resource management

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 54%

The material footprint of nations

Wiedmann

Schandl

Lenzen

et al. 2013

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

1,284

778

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…4. Institutions: There are many definitions of institutions (North 1990(North , 1991Coase 1998;Bleischwitz 2005). Nevertheless, the consensus in the literature seems to be that institutions directly or indirectly establish constraints to the economic system, thus shaping the 'rules of the game'.…”

Section: Competitiveness and Materials Productivity 21 Macroeconomic mentioning

confidence: 99%

The causal impact of material productivity on macroeconomic competitiveness in the European Union

Flachenecker

2017

Environ Econ Policy Stud

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Interdisciplinary scholars and policy makers have claimed that increasing material productivity not only reduces environmental pressures but also improves the competitiveness of economies. This is particularly relevant in the context of the European Union (EU) since it motivates its resource efficiency and circular economy agenda by referring to this assertion. However, two limitations in the literature cast doubt on the validity of the claim. First, the literature fails to clarify the concept and measurement of macroeconomic competitiveness. Second, it lacks to take the endogeneity of material productivity into account. Addressing both shortcomings, this paper reviews the concept of macroeconomic competitiveness and identifies six conventional macroeconomic indicators to approximate it. Moreover, using panel data of the 28 member states of the EU between 2000 and 2014, the causal impact of material productivity on the six indicators is estimated, instrumenting material productivity with the number of deaths from natural hazards. The results provide evidence for a positive and causal impact of the material productivity rate on the wage rate and, with lower confidence, on the current account rate, while the remaining macroeconomic indicators are not significantly affected. Overall, these results suggest to be cautious with the claim that increasing material productivity improves macroeconomic competitiveness in the EU. Particularly the positive effect on the wage rate calls for considering possibilities to channel gains from increasing material productivity into eco-innovations to reduce the magnitude of potential rebound effects and thus environmental pressures.

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“…Efficiency of consumption of natural resources ('resource efficiency') can be evaluated by several indicators, among which 'resource productivity' is the most recently used (Bleischwitz 2010). 'Resource productivity' is considered to be a ratio between gross domestic product and domestic material consumption.…”

Section: Resource Management and Efficiencymentioning

confidence: 99%

Geomaterials in construction and their sustainability: understanding their role in modern society

Přikryl

Török

Theodoridou

et al. 2016

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Inorganic raw materials, here termed geomaterials, derived from the Earth's crust and used in construction after appropriate processing make a genetically and functionally varied group of mineral resources. Although their basic functions have remained almost unchanged for centuries, some new attributes, meanings and impacts on society are still emerging. Geomaterials for construction were among the first mineral raw materials exploited, processed and used by man. They helped in the development of technological and artistic skills of humankind. Accessibility, workability and serviceability are considered here as their main functional attributes, being connected with man's skills to find their occurrence, extract and process them, and then use them in the correct way. However, serviceability is a more complex functional attribute as it also encompasses durability of a material in construction. Durability, that is the ability to withstand the action of weathering/decay processes, is an expression of the dynamic interactions between material and the surrounding environment encompassing not only gradual adaptation of materials to current environmental conditions, but also interactions between materials in construction, the history of maintenance/conservation of the structure and the impact of a polluted environment. In the modern world, sustainable use of raw materials, specifically those exploited in the largest volumes such as geomaterials for construction, raises questions of reducing extraction of primary resources and thus minimizing impacts on natural systems, and also employment of materials and technologies to produce less emission of deleterious substances in to the atmosphere. Use of secondary materials such as waste produced during extraction of primary raw materials and/or re-use of existing structural elements and re-or down-cycling can be considered as modern approaches to reducing the pressure on primary resources.

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International economics of resource productivity – Relevance, measurement, empirical trends, innovation, resource policies

Cited by 58 publications

References 18 publications

The material footprint of nations

The material footprint of nations

The causal impact of material productivity on macroeconomic competitiveness in the European Union

Geomaterials in construction and their sustainability: understanding their role in modern society

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