schaarse

Schaarse is a Dutch adjective meaning scarce or limited in supply. It describes resources, goods, or conditions where availability falls short of demand or where quantities are insufficient to meet needs. The term can apply to tangible items such as water, minerals, or energy, as well as to intangible factors like time or opportunities.

In usage, schaarse implies a condition of constraint rather than intrinsic rarity. It emphasizes access and distribution problems rather than something being inherently uncommon. For example, schaarse waterbronnen refers to water sources that are limited or unevenly distributed, while schaarse grondstoffen highlights materials that are in short supply relative to consumption.

The noun form associated with the concept is schaarste, which denotes scarcity itself. The adjective schaarse is commonly used in academic, policy, and media contexts to discuss resource management, environmental sustainability, and economic planning. It is often paired with nouns describing resources, sectors, or regions facing limitation.

Related terms include schaarste (scarcity), zeldzaamheid (rarity in the sense of unusualness), and various phrases that specify the type of constraint, such as schaarse hulpbronnen or schaarse energie. Understanding the distinction between schaarse and zeldzaam helps clarify whether a resource is scarce due to limited supply or inherently uncommon.

See also: schaarste, zeldzaamheid, hulpbronnen, resource scarcity, sustainability.