Megatrend Brief #4: The Return of Scarcity

Over the last three decades, material wealth has increased worldwide. This is largely owing to a global economic order facilitating free trade, a rising share of the working age population on both sides of the equator and the exploitation of cheap primary commodities, such as fossil fuels. All three factors are, however, bound to change in the years to come, which in turn is likely to inhibit prospective growth in aggregate output.