Trade flows by type of resource and their environmental impacts

Availability of resources is at the very interface of society-nature interaction and societies have a long history of converting natural terrestrial systems into increasingly human-dominated ones (Boserup, 1993), thus maximizing the output useful for sustaining human life. Biomass materials are considered to be the renewable resources that comprise all raw materials of plant origin extracted from nature as well as hunted animals. This includes agricultural products, harvest by-products (e.g. straw), grassland harvests, biomass grazed by livestock, timber and hunted (wild) animals. Plant-based biomass makes up most of the socio-economic uses of biomass, hence extraction is closely linked with harvest land.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Responsible Consumption and Production

Climate Action

Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions