The United Nations Environment Programme’s International Resource Panel (UNEP IRP) has the aim to provide independent, coherent and authoritative scientific assessments of policy relevance on the sustainable use of natural resources.7 The Panel consists of eminent scientists, highly skilled in resource management issues. The IRP has released a variety of reports, which distil the latest scientific, technical and socio-economic findings around global resource use. They provide advice and connections between policymakers, industry and the community on ways to improve global and local resource management. The Panel includes scientists and governments from both developed and developing regions, civil society, industrial and international organisations.