This study sheds light on the impact of consumption on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the countries where raw materials originate. Taking Germany as an example of an industrialised society, the report analyses and illustrates global raw material flows from outside the European Union into Germany, No surprise, the impacts of consumption in Germany are very high in countries of origion, consumption patterns need to change towards sufficiency, sustainability certification and circular economy.
For example in cotton cultivation land conversion, intensive use of pesticides and irrigation contribute to the loss of diverse forests, agrobiodiversity and aquatic habitats. In times of "Fast Fashion" each German purchases on average 60 pieces of clothes per year. Annually approximately 2,300 million cubic metres of water are required annually to meet German demand for cotton – equivalent to 920,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The irrigation can cause salinization of the soil. The salts degrade soil fertility to the extent that plants can no longer be cultivated there.
The study is available for download at
https://www.bfn.de/presse/pressemitteilung.html?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=6736&cHash=102d34ba953eead124ed6bc839057f5e