Natural resources and economic growth

Summary In this century, availability of stock-renewable resources (primarily agricultural produce) and of stock-material resources (minerals except fossil fuels) will not constitute a bottleneck for continued economic growth of the industrialized countries, though their relative prices might increase somewhat. Prospects for continued material growth depend in significant measure on the future energy situation, however. During the second half of the 1980s supply problems might become acute because of limited availability of stock-energy resources and slow development of new sources (flow energy). Government policies may lessen the impact of probable shortages (energy conservation, energy price increases, reorientation of growth). Slowing down of material growth is to be valued positively.