The WRF aims to transcend the current political focus on climate change and to bring the broader issues of global resource consumption and resource productivity back onto the agenda. It is assembling an interdisciplinary network of scientists, political and business leaders who recognize the necessity of establishing economic principles that respect the physical properties of resources and the laws of nature. The forum aims at a consensus on the next practical steps to be taken towards a sustainable economy.

The specific approach of the WRF is to facilitate two separate, but interlinked discourses on global resource consumption issues, one among natural scientists and engineers and the other among economists.

One of the results of the First World Resources Forum (Sept. 2009) was the publication of the WRF declaration.

In the next few months the Advisory Board of the World Resources Forum will work on a further refinement of this declaration and backup the declaration with concrete examples and policy recommendations.