Final answer:
Resource consumption tends to increase with economic development, as illustrated by the steady rise in resource use post-World War II. Economic growth typically brings higher demand for energy and materials, though efforts are made to reduce environmental impact through innovations and policies aimed at decoupling economic activity from resource intensity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Resource consumption tends to rise with economic and industrial development. Historical data and patterns in economic growth have reflected this trend, particularly since World War II. The consumption of resources such as oil, steel, and agricultural products has risen steadily in correlation with economic expansion.
While a goal of economic development is sustainable growth—utilizing resources in a manner that doesn't jeopardize future generations—practical challenges such as deforestation and competition for scarce resources like water and fuel often result in increased exploitation. Energy expenditure is closely tied to the economic scale, and as economies develop industrially, this trend leads to a higher demand for energy and raw materials.
Given the fixed nature of physical resources, nations and economies face the pressure to innovate and to seek decoupling of economic activity from energy and resource intensity. This entails finding ways to achieve economic growth while reducing the environmental impact, through measures such as heavy taxation on resource extraction and waste production, and promoting less-energetic activities in the economy.