Natural resources exist naturally without any human intervention. It can be renewed, replenished easily, and some non-renewable ones, which cannot be replenished.
Resources determine the economy of an area. With judicious utilization of these resources, a country can sustain the resources for future generations. However, looking at the current situations, the indiscriminate use of our modern resources are such that the possibilities of succeeding generations and the developing countries to have access to their fair share is very rare. Furthermore, the consequences are dreadful and the result on the environment will induce severe damages which go beyond the carrying capacity of the environment.
We all have heard numerous tales about the world’s natural ecosystemsbeing under increasing pressure to provide an expanding population with a sustainable supply of food, fibre, fuel, etc. Preservation or management of natural resources is essential for maintaining community sustainability.
Let’s have a closer look at the sustainability of natural resources.
Also Read:Natural Resource Management
Natural Resources
Air and Climate
The human health and ecosystem can be dramatically affected by the declining air quality and change in the climate. The communities can contribute to controlling the sources of air pollution by limiting the use of harmful chemicals in the air.
Energy
Energy happens to be a non-renewable source for power generation which is mainly used for home, workplace, and transportation, causing pollution. The need for energy conservation and the use of renewable fuels providing cost-effective and more sustainable alternatives are the need of the hour.
Water
Water is an important resource which we use for every daily activity like drinking, cooking,cleaning,washing, etc. It is aprecious natural resource that is largely getting wasted. To avoid the scarcity of Water both government and people must work together to assure that water is used judiciously and there is adequate water supply to meet future needs.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity plays a vital role in satisfying our need for different types of food, raw materials, fuel, etc. Over 4 billion years ago, the earth was crowded with a variety of species and every single species played a specialized role in maintaining ecological balance. As time passed, more than 80% of the species got extinct.Communities are involved in their preservation by supporting, managing, promoting, protecting and enhancing healthy wildlife byestablishing areas like the zoo, sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves, wildlife safaris, and sanctuaries.
Land, Forests, and Ecosystems
An ecosystem consists of both living things and non-living things which interact with each other. Light, air, soil, energy,atmosphere, forests are renewable sources which need to be protected.Communities have to develop judicious land-use practices for both conserving ecosystems and enhance local economies as they maintain theequilibriumin the environment.
Sustainable Utilization of Natural Resources
Sustainable utilization of natural resources is the proper management of natural resources for the benefit of the entire human community. The main aim of sustainable development is to provide resources for present generations without compromising the needs of future generations.
The economy cannot be based on the use of non-renewable resources such as coal, petroleum, because these resources cannot be replenished. A truly sustainable resource does not degrade environmental quality.
Over-exploitation of natural resources leads to the exhaustion of the resources. Therefore, the current resources cannot be used at the same pace as nothing will be left for future generations.
Also Read:Resources on earth
Stay tuned with BYJU’S to learn more about the sustainability of natural resources.
FAQs
Sustainability is the practice of using natural resources responsibly, so they can support both present and future generations. Forests are one natural resource that sustainability groups are focused on conserving. Forests made up about 30 percent of Earth's land mass in 2015, but that number is at risk of decreasing.
How does sustainable use of natural resources help achieve sustainable development? ›
Sustainable utilization of natural resources is the proper management of natural resources for the benefit of the entire human community. The main aim of sustainable development is to provide resources for present generations without compromising the needs of future generations.
What can you say about environmental sustainability? ›
Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain an ecological balance in our planet's natural environment and conserve natural resources to support the wellbeing of current and future generations.
What sustainability is and why we must learn to sustain our environmental resources? ›
Sustainability is our society's ability to exist and develop without depleting all of the natural resources needed to live in the future. Sustainable development supports this long-term goal with the implementation of systems, frameworks, and support from global, national, and local entities.
Why is environmental sustainability important? ›
Why is sustainability important? Environmental sustainability is important because of how much energy, food, and human-made resources we use every day. Rapid population growth has resulted in increased farming and manufacturing, leading to more greenhouse gas emissions, unsustainable energy use, and deforestation.
What is the primary goal of environmental sustainability? ›
Environmental sustainability is the responsible use of natural resources to ensure they will be around in the future. It is important because the Earth is a finite place, with limited land, water, and wildlife. Sustainable resource use is the only way to make sure future generations will have what they need to survive.
What are examples of sustainable resources? ›
Examples of sustainable resources include hydropower, solar power and wind power, to name a few. Solar power, for example, is classed as a sustainable resource because the sun's energy can be captured without the depletion of the sun itself.
How does sustainability protect natural resources? ›
Resource conservation and efficiency improvements are essential strategies for the sustainable use of natural resources. Reducing, reusing, and recycling practices can help reduce the amount of waste generated by businesses while also reducing their reliance on finite resources.
How to do sustainable development of natural resources? ›
Methods of Sustainable Management
We can reduce the environmental pressure by following the concept named 3R's, which means to Reduce, Recycle, and Reuse. It means to use the natural resources less, which can be done by: like, Switching off the electrical appliances when they are not in use.
What are the four main components of environmental sustainability? ›
Let us look at the four elements of environmental sustainability and environmental regulatory compliance: air, water, management, and risk reduction.
Our increasing and inefficient use of resources has knock-on effects including climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution, poor health and poverty. These issues are interlinked and in turn often exacerbate each other.
What will happen if environmental sustainability is not achieved? ›
What if we do not achieve sustainability? It is us who will suffer because our food security would be jeopardized. Imagine that there would be no food or water because we are no longer able to produce them. Also, climate change would intensify, in essence eradicating us with the stronger typhoons and sea level rise.
How does sustainability affect society? ›
Sustainability improves the quality of our lives, protects our ecosystem and preserves natural resources for future generations.
How does environmental sustainability affect society? ›
The bottom line. Environmental sustainability is the key to human well-being in the present and future. The only way to reverse climate change and avoid climatic disasters is to live in harmony with nature. By compromising the planet, we are compromising our growth, development, and even survival.
Why are sustainability and human impact serious issues? ›
Environmental damage, pollution, destabilizing soils by cutting down trees, fossil fuels and other environmental issues led to a growing concern about the environment and whether we were or could damage our own ecosystem.
What is the definition of environmental and natural resources? ›
natural resource, any biological, mineral, or aesthetic asset afforded by nature without human intervention that can be used for some form of benefit, whether material (economic) or immaterial.
Is environmental sustainability the responsibility to conserve natural resources? ›
Environmental sustainability is the responsibility to conserve natural resources and protect global ecosystems to support health and wellbeing, now and in the future.
What is the environmental sustainability of renewable energy? ›
Renewable energy sources – which are available in abundance all around us, provided by the sun, wind, water, waste, and heat from the Earth – are replenished by nature and emit little to no greenhouse gases or pollutants into the air.
