The Extraction-Consumption Inversion
From 1970 to 2024, global resource extraction surged from 31 to 106 gigatons, with about 30 percent consistently tied to traded goods. This growth is marked by stark inequalities and a zero-sum dynamic: more resources flowing to high-income countries means fewer for low-income ones. Based on data tracking traded raw materials and their embodiment as Raw Material Equivalents (RMEs) in (semi-)finished products, the group of high-income countries is the only one with cumulative net imports, totalling 290 Gt. All other income groups were net exporters, with low-income countries collectively exporting 9.6 Gt. The graph here adds an important nuance: while their exports are the smallest in absolute terms, the drain is significant relative to what they extract. As a group, low-income countries consumed 13.3 percent less than they extracted, sending the rest to global markets. Meanwhile, high-income countries consumed 24.1 percent more than they extracted, bridging the gap with imports.