The Race for What's Left

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The world is in a crisis of resource depletion that extends beyond "peak oil" to include shortages of coal, uranium, copper, lithium, water, and arable land. As easily accessible resources near exhaustion, the race for supplies has intensified, with governments and corporations exploring previously dangerous and remote areas. This exploration spans from the Arctic to war zones and deep ocean floors, exemplified by a Russian submarine claiming the North Pole seabed and the large-scale acquisition of African farmland by food-importing nations like Saudi Arabia and China. The consequences of this invasion of final frontiers are severe. As resource extraction becomes more complex, environmental risks escalate, with disasters like Deepwater Horizon foreshadowing future dangers. Additionally, the fierce competition for dwindling resources is sparking new border disputes and increasing the likelihood of military confrontations. If this relentless pursuit continues, many essential resources for modern industry may vanish entirely. Klare emphasizes that the only solution is to fundamentally change our consumption patterns, a challenge that will be paramount in the century ahead.