The effect of the economic cycles on material requirements: Analysing the dematerialization in developed countries

Abstract

The evolution of resource requirements in developed countries after the 2008 crisis seemed to indicate that there is a process of dematerialization. This paper analyses dematerialization in a group of developed countries and the effects of the economic cycle on resource use. The aim is to determine whether dematerialization can be linked to the effects of the economic crisis or, on the contrary, is independent of the economic context. To do this, a descriptive part is proposed in which the existence of dematerialization over the last 50 years is analysed. Subsequently, a model is estimated in which the effect of recessionary, low-growth and normal growth periods on the consumption of material resources is contrasted. The raw material input is used as an indicator of the use of material resources, which makes it possible to link each country to all the resources it requires for the normal functioning of its economy, regardless of where they are consumed. Among the main results, it can be noted that reductions in resource consumption occur in periods of recession and low growth, while for growth above 2% there is no dematerialization