Decoupling 2: Technologies, Opportunities and Policy Options

9th June 2014

The urgency for decoupling, escalating resource use and environmental degradation from economic growth is now widely acknowledged by policy- makers, industry leaders and civil society. Indeed, it has become a key issue in the on-going deliberations on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In its first Decoupling report published in 2011, UNEP’s International Resource Panel Panel shows that breaking the link between human well-being and resource consumption is necessary and possible but in reality is hardly happening.

In this follow-up report – ‘Decoupling 2’ – the Panel highlights existing technological possibilities and opportunities for both developing and developed countries to accelerate decoupling and reap the environmental and economic benefits of increased resource productivity.