Will increased globalization cause greater consumption of the earth’s resources?  Could the depletion of raw materials slow the advance of globalization?

            Globalization is not only spreading ideas and culture, but it is industrializing and modernizing many previously agrarian countries.  Countries like India and China are gaining more knowledge and wealth due to globalization.  These countries now have the capability to purchase more materials with their newly acquired wealth.  This directly translates into more cars, more fuel consumption, more consumer goods, more of everything.  Increasing trends of consumption in the world could conceivably cause shortages in natural resources.  According to scholarly models, natural resources have a finite limit which will eventually influence global population, energy output and consumerism.  Low availability of raw materials might not be in the near future, but if globalization continues to modernize countries at a steep rate, accessibility to resources may become an issue in ten to twenty years.  The demand for oil will eventually super secede oil supplies.  Since the world economy is dependent on oil and globalization is dependent on trade, the depletion of oil could reverse globalization.  To a large degree the pace of globalization will directly correspond to the consumption and depletion of natural resources. 

            Could technology and globalization help solve resource problems caused by globalization?  Globalization could be helpful when a serious shortage in raw materials arises.  Since globalization connects the world and allows the exchange of ideas, more people should be able to help solve problems associated with natural resources.  For example, more scientists from around the world would be able to work on a common goal.  Communication caused by globalization would theoretically decrease the time required to solve dilemmas.  Therefore, given enough time globalization could help solve the world’s problem.