摘要：People are using more of the Earth’s natural resources than ever before, seriously harming the environment and placing the well-being of future generations at risk. Europe is particularly reliant on imported resources and proposes actions to help societies move towards a more sustainable way of using resources. Managing natural resources is challenging. Many countries with large endowments of valuable natural resources do no better, and often do worse, than less endowed countries. This recurrent fact has been called the “natural resource curse” or the “paradox of plenty”. Land utilisation needs to be in accord with sustainability. The root of the problem is population growth, which will be more than 3,5 times bigger in 2050 than it was in 1950. The required factors of production are used in varying degrees during the production process. These rates depend on the actual activity, because there are labour and capital intensive businesses. In any case, we do not know any production activity which would not demand labour, or would not use a certain amount of space and resources directly or indirectly. In parallel with its improved living standards and technological advancements – which often fly in the face of employment – humanity is consuming an increasing amount of energy and with the development of more and more industries it pollutes and destroys the environment.
