The Global Resource Nexus

Unless the transatlantic community takes the lead in addressing the challenges arising from the unprecedented global demand for land, energy, food, water, and minerals, severe market disruptions are likely to occur, as are increased chances of violent conflict at interstate and local levels in many “hot spots,” especially in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.


Over the next 10-20 years, the world is likely to see accelerating demand for most natural resource commodities, as well as increasingly volatile markets. Scarcities are likely to be more common. Resource or material scarcities, as experienced by states, firms, or populations, arise primarily from failures of governance rather than from a physical shortage of resources or materials. Yet natural resource governance faces increasing complexity, especially when the linkages and inter-dependencies between different resources are considered. This study identifies a growing number of these linkages and elaborates on the challenges, dangers, and opportunities that will arise for the transatlantic community from the nexus of land, energy, food, water and minerals.