neteorologlcal infornation) or because these problens can be solved on national orregional 1eve13 only at higher costs, for example, the develotment of new sourcesof energy. The globa1 nature of many problens arising out of physical and economicconstraints on hunan and naterial resourcea, nakes their solution within regional and polltlcal boundaries increasingly difficult. The arms race, therefore, amounts A/ 37 / 386 il:::"' Page 63 to a counterproductive choice since it presupposes the existence of confLict in a situation demanding co-operation. Thus, while several other factors have contributed to economic d iscrj.mination, such as lrTrport restrictions, protectionisnt and other rnore or less technical poticy neasures, it is evident that, particularly in the ros,t recent period, the ongoihg arns race lncreaslngly constitutes an inportant distortion of international econonic, scientific and technological exchange . I38. An estimated 3 to 12 per cent of the global production of several strategic minerals, wtrich are egually inportant for both the civillan and nilitary sectors of industry, are being currently consumed for nllitary purposes and, in sone cases as that of, oil consunption, the nilitary industry singly consumes from one fourth to one third of the total national petroleun consumptioh for all purposes. Military gonsumption of resources, wtlether these be hurnan (labour), natural (fuel and'nqr-fuel ninerals) or rnaterial (capital and technology), is directly conpeting for resources which could be otherwise available for socio-economic development and it i.8 indirectly affecting the prioritles for their allocation. Bearing in nind the uneven geographic distribution of these resources aroong states with varying technological capabilities to overcome the physical constraints on resources; aswell as the differences in the present levels of resource consumption anong the developed and developlng countries, the period under review eitnessed recurrent resource-related conflicts surfacing in several international forurns dealing rviththeir various aspects namely. finances, Iabour, technology, trade, rninerals and energy. Escalations in the arms race, resulting in a larger resource consumPtionfor nilitary purposes, r.rould not only add to the gravity of existing tesource-related conflicts, but also entail the non-negligible risk of becoming an
**Analysis**
The text discusses the impact of the arms race on the global economy, specifically on the availability of natural resources, and the resulting conflicts and distortions in international economic, scientific, and technological exchange. It highlights the competition for resources between military and civilian sectors, and the uneven distribution of resources among developed and developing countries.

**Category**
Natural resources and environment, Economic development