Resources challenge

To promote human well-being, alleviate poverty and minimise waste by ensuring a sustainable supply of water, food and other resources.

The resources challenge steering group:

The steering group will ensure that the UK gets the tools, knowledge and foresight needed to address the resources challenge. The group is chaired by Brian Harris from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

The group has held a road-mapping workshop as the first step in developing a strategic framework for progress in this challenge area. You can download a copy of the workshop report below.

The next step will be to develop an implementation plan based on this work.

What does this challenge mean for business?

The issue

How to enable 9 billion people to live well with the resources of a single planet.

Business threats

• Growth of trade barriers and collapse of global sourcing.
• Reaching the limits of non-renewable resources.
• Increased volatility.

Business opportunities

• Low-carbon goods and services.
• Tenfold improvement in resource efficiency.
• Improved feed conversion in livestock and reduced waste in food chain.

Read documents related to the resources challenge: