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] Mining asteroids could provide essential resources and reduce dependency on Earth leading to sustainable space colonization. Scholarly Commons
• [New] The first profitable use of mined resources will likely occur in space, fueling rockets or sustaining orbital infrastructure, rather than shipping raw materials back to Earth. Interesting Engineering
• [New] Fresh analysis for the WEO-2025 maps the new geography of demand onto the distribution of global energy resources, showing that, by 2035, 80% of global energy consumption growth occurs in regions with high-quality solar irradiance. IEA
• [New] Mapping the new geography of demand onto the distribution of global energy resources reveals that, by 2035, 80% of energy consumption growth occurs in regions with high-quality solar irradiation. IEA
• [New] LAC has the potential to lead the global energy transition, not only because of its vast reserves of lithium, copper, and renewable resources, but because it has already shown that it is possible to grow with cleaner, fairer, and more secure energy. OLADE
• [New] Boasting abundant solar and wind resources, Namibia is poised to become a global leader in green hydrogen production, with projections showing it could achieve some of the world's lowest production costs by 2030-second only to Chile. Green Hydrogen Organisation
• [New] The next step will be showing how Australia can make the most of its clean energy and mineral resources in a future economy that's focused on net zero, rather than the economy of the past. The Conversation
• [New] The Climate Act mandates a 70% supply of electric load from renewable resources by 2030 as well as a 100% zero-emission electric supply by 2040. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The electricity supply in New York State is expected to expand through the inclusion of nonemitting resources such as wind and solar, along with battery storage. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] New regional coalitions could emerge: Groups of Baltic, Southern or Northern European states may pool resources and collaborate more closely. Think Tank Europa
• [New] Of 200 executives across the UK and Europe, Talan found that 62% are currently very confident they have the resources to tackle cyber and privacy threats. Consultancy.uk
• [New] China's government threw ample resources at the EV industry in the hopes of leapfrogging foreign rivals in the transition to battery-powered vehicles. The Atlantic
• [New] OpenAI plans $1.4 trillion investment for computing resources, with Big Tech predicting $250 billion AI infrastructure spending in 2025. Ticker
• [New] Viewing the global water challenge through a common good lens could promote a cross-sectoral approach needed to unlock diverse financial resources for resilient water investments. The Water Diplomat
• [New] With more resources, WFP could double its reach to eight million people monthly and further reduce the risk of famine spreading into the hardest-hit areas. Secretary-General
• If successful, asteroid mining could redefine how resources are sourced, reducing pressure on Earth's environment while enabling a sustainable presence in space. Interesting Engineering
• Saudi Arabia's vast unconventional resources could be developed using similar technological approaches and partnership strategies that ADNOC has successfully implemented. Discovery Alert
• Globally, the impact of climate change on agriculture is affecting food security, threatening water resources, biodiversity, and the resilience of rural communities. Mirage News
• Experts highlighted biosafety and bioethics risks, including potential biopiracy of Zambian genetic resources if safeguards are not established. iAfrica.com
• The scale of Bolivia's resources provides theoretical capacity to supply significant portions of projected global lithium demand growth, offering strategic supply partnerships that could support major automotive manufacturers' electric vehicle production expansion plans through 2040 and beyond. Discovery Alert

Last updated: 19 November 2025