Production NW - Production Metabolism
The energy, materials, carbon and footprint of the NW economy
International trade balance
Each region has a different international trade balance of imports and exports. This is usually shown as financial flows, so it is quite unique here to show the material trade balance, as drawn from the REAP system.
This shows interestingly the net balance of exports to the EU as the largest market, and also to North America, both in mining and quarrying materials, and in chemicals and other manufactures.
The world map shows these imports in terms of continents of origin, overlaid on a map of future global problems - deforestation, tropical storms etc. The message is very clear - that businesses cannot expect the current pattern of freely available low cost commodities to continue without limits.
