Resource Efficiency-Economics and Outlook for Asia and the Pacific

This report, prepared by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners including the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, says Asia Pacific's dynamic growth of the past few decades has reduced poverty and increased wealth and per capita incomes.

But that has come at a price that is "exacting a high-current and future-environmental cost. Problems include pollution including greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss, deteriorating ecosystems and rapid resource depletion".

Total materials consumed in 2005 alone - including biomass, fossil fuels, metals and industrial and construction materials - amounted to around 32 billion tonnes according to the report: Resource Efficiency-Economics and Outlook for Asia and the Pacific.