From Resource Abundance to Responsible Scarcity: Rethinking Natural Resource Utilization in the Age of Hyper-Consumption

César Ramírez-Márquez (), Thelma Posadas-Paredes and José María Ponce-Ortega ()
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César Ramírez-Márquez: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58060, Michoacán, Mexico
Thelma Posadas-Paredes: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58060, Michoacán, Mexico
José María Ponce-Ortega: Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Francisco J. Múgica S/N, Ciudad Universitaria, Morelia 58060, Michoacán, Mexico

Resources, 2025, vol. 14, issue 8, 1-25

Abstract: In an era marked by accelerating ecological degradation and widening global inequalities, prevailing patterns of resource extraction and consumption are proving increasingly unsustainable. Driven by hyper-consumption and entrenched linear production models, the global economy continues to exert immense pressure on planetary systems. This communication article calls for a fundamental paradigm shift from the long-standing assumption of resource abundance to a framework of responsible scarcity. Drawing from recent data on material throughput, on the transgression of planetary boundaries, and on the structural and geopolitical disparities underlying global resource use, this article highlights the urgent need to realign natural resource governance with ecological limits and social justice. A conceptual framework is proposed to support this transition, grounded in principles of ecological constraint, functional sufficiency, equity, and long-term resilience. The article concludes by outlining a forward-thinking research and policy agenda aimed at fostering sustainable and just modes of resource utilization in the face of growing environmental and socio-economic challenges.

Keywords: natural resource governance; hyper-consumption; planetary boundaries; ecological economics; responsible scarcity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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