Global socioeconomic material stocks rise 23-fold over the 20th century and require half of annual resource use
Open accessAbstract
Significance: A large part of all primary materials extracted globally accumulates in stocks of manufactured capital, including in buildings, infrastructure, machinery, and equipment. These in-use stocks of materials provide important services for society and the economy and drive long-term demand for materials and energy. Configuration and quantity of stocks determine future waste flows and recycling potential and are key to closing material loops and reducing waste and emissions in a circular economy. A better understanding of in-use material stocks and their dynamics is essential for sustainable development. We present a comprehensive estimate of global in-use material stocks and of related material flows, including a full assessment of uncertainties for the 20th century as we analyze changes in stock-flow relations.
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In 2010, about 30 Gt of nonmetallic minerals were extracted globally, of which over 95% are construction minerals.
“In 2010, about 30 Gt of nonmetallic minerals were extracted globally, of which over 95% are construction minerals [31][32][33].”
From Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a review (2019) · cites this paper as [32]
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Background
- Authors
- Krausmann, F., Wiedenhofer, D., Lauk, C., Haas, W., Tanikawa, H., Fishman, T., Miatto, A., Schandl, H., & Haberl, H.
- Affiliations
- Institute of Social Ecology Vienna, Alpen-Adria University, A-1070 Vienna, Austria;
- Nagoya University (JP)
- Yale University (US)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Krausmann, Fridolin
- ORCID
- Venue
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- Publisher
- National Academy of Sciences
- Published
- 2017-02-06
- Volume
- 114
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1880-1885
- ISSN
- 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
- 1091-6490
- PMC
- PMC5338421
- OpenAlex
- W2586080738
- Cited by
- 710
- References
- 45
- Citations by year
- 2026: 87 · 2025: 91 · 2024: 89 · 2023: 93 · 2022: 78 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 76 · 2019: 56 · 2018: 37 · 2017: 21
- FWCI
- 29.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Austrian Science Fund (P27590)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Sustainability and Ecological Systems Analysis
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Environmental Engineering › Environmental Impact and Sustainability
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Sustainable Development and Environmental Policy
- Keywords
- manufactured capital, material flow, circular economy, recycling potential, waste streams, material loops, 20th century, uncertainty analysis, resource utilization (natural resources)
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