United States. Beginning in 2000, the dematerialization of goods and value began, leading to a sharp and steady decline in demand for raw materials in developed economies. In particular, starting in 2000, consumption of aluminum, nickel, copper, steel, and gold began to decline dramatically in the United States, despite continued growth in GDP. By 2020, consumption of these raw materials will return to levels seen in the mid-1970s. In agriculture, too, we are seeing the beginning of a sharp and steady decline in the amount of fertilizer and water used, as well as a decline in cultivated area, despite the continued steady increase in the tonnes of produce produced each year, thanks to higher yields per hectare, thus reducing environmental impact. Fertilizer peaked in 1999. In the construction sector, the phenomenon is similar: bricks, cement, sand, gravel, wood, and paper peaked in 2007, and then began to decline as a total.
