Resource Efficiency: Efficiency and Decoupling

This lecture by the instructor explores the concept of resource efficiency, emphasizing how efficiency allows for more economic activity with limited resources. It delves into the decomposition of impact, intensity, and efficiency, using examples from energy consumption in Switzerland. The lecture also discusses the importance of substitution in reducing impact and the transition from efficiency to decoupling. Various forms of decoupling, such as relative and absolute decoupling, are explained in the context of resource intensity and efficiency. The presentation concludes with a discussion on the environmental intensity of the economy and the significance of decoupling in sustainable resource management.