10. Is Planet B Necessary? Arguments Concerning Depleted Resources and Consequences for Sustainability

Although concern for sustainability at a planetary level has become a general concern and subject for discussion, there is still little evidence that action is being taken or even that the causes and required actions are even understood. Thus, the World Overshoot Day occurred on 2 August 2017, six days earlier than in 2016 and 11 days earlier than in 2015. By the time of the conference, it will have occurred in 2018 also and be even earlier. It is clear therefore that the actions of humankind are not sustainable and need to be modified. One factor which needs to be addressed is that of the usage of raw materials, which are needed to produce our requirements and are integral to consumption. This paper shows that such resources are becoming depleted and in increasingly short supply while demand continues to rise as nations develop and seek to emulate the lifestyle of those in affluent Western nations. The paper continues to argue that a radical rethink of our economic system is needed to ensure future sustainability at a global level and proposes a way to achieve this.