Global Scans · Resources · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The world is depleting its natural resources at an alarming rate due to population growth and over consumption. Increased competition for ever-diminishing food and water resources may amplify socio-economically motivated armed conflicts and causing quests for more efficient resources on and beyond Planet Earth.

• [New] The clean energy transition is dramatically increasing competition for limited resources, with demand for lithium projected to increase by 4000% by 2040 according to International Energy Agency forecasts. Discovery Alert
• [New] Canada Lithium Corp, rooted in Quebec, is renowned for the high-purity potential at the Whabouchi deposit - one of the world's richest lithium spodumene resources. Farmonaut
• [New] Australia, Africa and Latin America bring critical mineral resources and opportunities for collaborative digital commons infrastructure beyond extractive models. NOEMA
• [New] By diverting resources and attention to foreign theaters, Islamabad risks weakening its internal security, leaving it vulnerable to both insurgency and economic instability. EurAsian Times
• [New] With finite resources, Singapore will need to come to a societal consensus about who should get more help. CNA
• [New] New regulations in 2025 will increasingly require transparency-systems must be capable of tracing resources and providing auditable ESG data across the full supply chain. Farmonaut
• [New] China could be able to relocate its air and naval resources out of the South China Sea and into the Atlantic from where they might obstruct US trade if it collaborates with Brazil. The Swamp
• [New] Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, with their higher risk appetite, are particularly keen on South Africa's natural resources and agricultural potential. Passle
• [New] The surge in cases could cost the UK economy up to £18bn, diverting resources away from innovation and undermining growth. City AM
• [New] Yet the world's water resources are under growing pressure and - at the same time - more extreme water-related hazards are having an increasing impact on lives and livelihoods. CNN
• By 2025, the world could face catastrophic environmental conditions due to unsustainable practices and the exploitation of natural resources. Open Christian University
• The resources in the asteroid belt could be worth $100 million for every person on Earth, and mining just the 10 richest asteroids could yield $1.5 trillion. NEWS.am TECH - Innovations and science
• Unless metal prices rise extremely high, bringing space resources back to Earth will not be profitable anytime soon. Space Daily
• Flagship missions afford the greatest potential for NASA and other space agencies to unite resources to meet difficult challenges. The National Academies Press
• Large majorities anticipate long-term disruption in natural resources and energy, technology and innovation, trade and global value chains and global economic institutions. Mirage News
• 72% of chief economists expect global economy to weaken in 2026 as disruptions in trade, technology, resources and institutions signal a shift to a new economic environment. Mirage News
• Communication with the outside world will be deliberately delayed to replicate the 20-minute lag between Earth and Mars, and supplies would need to be rationed to reflect the limited resources of an interplanetary mission. BGR
• A NASA-supported consortium involving UNICEF and United Kingdom scientists has illustrated the potential of remotely sensed data by producing cholera risk forecasts for Yemen that enabled the forward deployment of humanitarian resources well in advance of the peak in transmission. SpaceNews
• By 2030, the fashion industry will consume resources equivalent to two Earths, with the demand for clothing forecast to increase by 63%. Good On You
• Recent geopolitical tensions, including trade disputes and supply chain disruptions, have highlighted the strategic importance of developing North American critical metal resources. Discovery Alert
• Doubling the production of geothermal energy by 2040 for electricity generation and direct heat applications is part of an ambitious plan to harness the vast potential of New Zealand's geothermal resources. Mirage News

Last updated: 08 October 2025