Global Scans · Resources · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The world is depleting its natural resources at an alarming rate due to population growth and over consumption. Increased competition for ever-diminishing food and water resources may amplify socio-economically motivated armed conflicts and causing quests for more efficient resources on and beyond Planet Earth.

• [New] The race for Congo's minerals is wide open, with global powers vying for a stake in the resources that will shape the next era of technology and industry. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] Data stays, value flows; (ii) AI justice charter: A Global South pact could bind members to ethical non-negotiables like algorithmic bias audits, data dignity clauses, and profit-sharing from extracted resources. The Daily Star
• [New] As the NASA plans to deorbit the International Space Station, Washington, Beijing, Moscow, and the world's largest corporations are escalating their race to capture space-bound resources. BGR
• [New] By 2035, officials expect electricity resources to achieve optimized allocation nationwide, with price signals fully reflecting energy's environmental and capacity values. Crypto Briefing
• [New] By integrating the best of technology and sustainability, modern soy production is poised not only to feed a projected population of over 8 billion by 2030 but also to conserve natural resources and foster global food security for generations to come. Farmonaut
• [New] China has laid out ambitious plans to land astronauts on the moon's south pole before 2030, targeting a region believed to contain water ice and other resources vital for long-term human settlement. Grand Pinnacle Tribune
• [New] In a world of overlapping crises, AI becomes truly strategic when it supports sustainable business models, helping organizations anticipate risk, reallocate resources and build an advantage that lasts. Roland Berger
• [New] Moon resources will increase AI satellites from 100 to 1000 gigawatts per year from earth by ten times by 2040 and then one hundred times by 2050. NextBigFuture.com
• [New] Recent research by Project InnerSpace shows that if current clustering trends continue, geothermal could economically meet up to 64% of new data center demand in the US by the early 2030s and even more when developments are located near optimal resources. Ember
• [New] Restoring the energy sector to pre-war levels will require significant resources - $20 billion.
• [New] The $12 billion US critical minerals stockpile could tighten global supply chains and increase competition for resources. FastMarkets
• [New] As procurement organizations head into 2026 under pressure to cut costs, manage risk, and move faster with limited resources, incremental AI deployments are emerging as the most effective path to near-term value and sustainable adoption. Supply Chain Management Review
• [New] As nations grapple with supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by recent global disruptions, Arctic resources have emerged as critical components of national security strategies and economic sovereignty initiatives. Discovery Alert
• [New] The development of Greenland mineral resources offers significant potential to address global critical mineral supply vulnerabilities, but success requires innovative approaches to financing, technology deployment, and stakeholder engagement. Discovery Alert
• [New] Global water systems currently process roughly 320 trillion liters of wastewater annually and lose an estimated 100 trillion liters through ageing infrastructure-volumes that, if recovered, could offset AI's projected demand and reduce stress on freshwater resources. https://www.indianchemicalnews.com/
• [New] India faces mounting geopolitical and economic risks as the United States and China intensify their confrontation over technology, trade, and strategic resources, the Economic Survey 2025-26 has warned. India Blooms News Service
• [New] The International Monetary Fund has cautioned the mostly desert nation that concentrating more of its state resources in the diamond sector could heighten fiscal risks and leave it more exposed to swings in global demand. NonStop Local Tri-Cities/Yakima
• [New] Traditional oil & gas companies are using their natural gas resources and their expertise building infrastructure to capitalize on new business opportunities and build facilities to serve new markets in the Southeastern and Southwestern U.S. where data center development is underway. JD Supra
• [New] Europe's rising demand for green hydrogen opens opportunities for Egypt to position itself as a supplier, leveraging its abundant solar and wind resources to store excess power and export clean energy. Egypt Oil & Gas | Connecting The Pieces
• [New] Private gas firm Novatek funded and built the new Vostok Station, in what Buchanan says could be the first of a trend for energy firms to bankroll Antarctic development, and one of Russia's main activities is mapping Antarctica for resources such as oil, gas and critical minerals. The Sydney Morning Herald
• [New] Argentina-US critical minerals deal boosts ASX lithium plays; Lake Resources and Galan Lithium poised for US-backed growth in 2027-28. Small Caps

Last updated: 18 February 2026