Issue The Netherlands' large resource footprint in the Global South

Summary

The report finds that the Netherlands, as a wealthy country, leaves a large footprint in the Global South, where many raw materials are extracted. Rich countries such as the Netherlands use far more resources per person than poor countries. Yet the extraction and processing of resources, along with the environmental burden they bring, are often shifted to poorer countries while consumption takes place in rich ones. Extraction and processing of raw materials account for a very large share of greenhouse gas emissions, biodiversity loss and water, soil and air pollution, and the explosive growth in resource use since 1970 has been accompanied by serious environmental damage. The report explains that vulnerable societies are often hit hardest by the loss of biodiversity.