essay on prevention of natural resources

March 1, 2024

By Protecting the Planet, We’re Protecting People, Too

Boundaries for preserving fresh water, biodiversity and other planetary resources tighten when they must also protect people

By Joyeeta Gupta & Angela Morelli and Tom Gabriel Johansen/InfoDesignLab

A woman in Kenya tries to collect some of her belongings after torrential rain led to heavy flooding.

Luis Tato/AFP via Getty Images

T here are limits to our natural resources. At some point they run out, or we ruin them. When either happens, both the physical system and the human system on Earth are hurt. In 2019 the Earth Commission—an international team of scientists that I co-lead—collaborated with the Future Earth scientist network and the Global Commons Alliance to convene a large group of researchers to establish boundaries for resources that could keep the planet and its people safe.

We began with five domains that cover the major components of Earth's interconnected systems: climate, biosphere, water cycle, aerosols and nutrient cycles (nitrogen and phosphorus). In each case, rather than setting a single threshold, we set two: a limit that was “safe” for Earth overall and a “safe and just” limit that would do “no significant harm” to people worldwide. In all cases, the safe and just limit is equivalent to or stricter than the safe limit. Our group is now working on limits for two other domains: oceans and chemical pollution such as microplastics.

The hard part, of course, is determining what is “just” and putting a number on that evaluation. Consider climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that the world must prevent global warming from surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels; beyond that, it is highly likely that we will reach tipping points for significant worsening of damaging climate effects. So 1.5 degrees C is a boundary intended to keep Earth and people relatively safe. Yet even though we have raised global temperature by only 1.2 degrees C thus far, tens of millions of people are already exposed to hot, humid conditions extreme enough to kill them and certainly oppressive enough to prevent them from working to meet their basic needs. Furthermore, millions of people living along the seashore and on islands are being forced to move because coastlines are disintegrating as sea level rises and because coastal storms are getting increasingly severe. That is certainly unjust. In our group's assessment, a temperature increase of 1.0 degree C is the safe and just limit for climate change—it adheres to a fundamental principle of justice, namely, not causing harm to people.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing . By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

In some cases, we considered local effects when setting the safe and just limit because global patterns can mask serious problems at the local level. Air pollution, for example, can hurt people in a specific region before it harms people worldwide. Aerosols, or fine particulates, less than 2.5 microns in diameter released into the air by a range of industrial processes are beginning to alter monsoon rain patterns on which millions of people depend for growing food. Those patterns are global. Aerosols can also harm human lungs, and although levels are not yet high enough to do so worldwide, local air pollution can be deadly. Such pollution is disproportionately high in poorer regions. Every year seven million people die from air pollution. We set a safe limit for aerosols of 0.25 to 0.50 aerosol optical depth, or AOD, an estimate of the amount of aerosols present in the atmosphere. We also set a safe and just limit of 0.17 AOD, which takes into consideration the problem of local air pollution. This matches World Health Organization standards stating that fine particulate pollution should not exceed 15 micrograms per cubic meter, which translates to an AOD of 0.17.*

Defining what constitutes significant harm is difficult. Existing environmental problems already harm millions to billions of people. To set our boundaries, we considered tipping points in Earth's systems, relations between humans and other living things (which we call interspecies justice), harm to current and future generations (intergenerational justice), and effects on countries and communities—what might be called intragenerational justice. This kind of thinking led us to set the safe boundary for climate of 1.5 degrees C and the safe and just boundary of 1.0 degree C.

Credit: Angela Morelli and Tom Gabriel Johansen/InfoDesignLab

Our safe and just boundaries for the biosphere are that ecosystems in 50 to 60 percent of the planet's land area should be kept intact, and 20 to 25 percent of managed land in each square kilometer of cities and rural areas should be reserved for nature. Intact ecosystems provide shade (relief from increasing heat) and help local food production; bees and earthworms can travel only short distances, and they are vital to the plants, trees and food we grow. Natural land within cities protects mental health: studies show that our sense of well-being improves when we have trees and plants around us. Ideally, every city, school, hospital and home will reserve a certain percentage of land for nature so that all people—even those living in high-rise buildings or slums—have access to it.

People's development and pollution of landscapes in the past reduced the space available for nature today. If we continue these trends, we will put future generations at risk. It is time for us to manage land for the benefit of nature as well as humans—and we can learn a lot from how Indigenous peoples and local communities have successfully maintained biodiversity on their lands. Targets need to be implemented justly; some countries, especially poorer ones, have large tracts of pristine nature left, but it is unfair to put the burden of protecting such natural resources on them. Richer nations may have to do more.

Similar considerations apply to safe and just water use. For groundwater, we should not extract more than is recharged naturally. This makes sense from an intergenerational justice perspective: if we keep depleting groundwater, there will be less water for the future. Draining groundwater can also cause land to subside and allow salt water to intrude farther inland, ruining agricultural land for farmers today and for food production in the future.

Our latest work indicates that in 2023 the world had already surpassed the safe and just limit for seven of the eight boundaries. Only the aerosols limit has not been breached globally, although local aerosol boundaries have been crossed in many parts of the world. We have also found that in more than 50 percent of all places on Earth, at least two of the safe and just boundaries have been crossed; South Asia, for example, has high air pollution as well as excessive water extraction.

With so many boundaries already crossed, it might be tempting to conclude that there are too many people on Earth, but our results show that the environmental pressure of meeting the needs of the world's poorest people is roughly equal to the environmental pressure created by the richest 4 percent. The problem is excess consumption of resources by the wealthy. To meet the minimum needs of the poorest, we will have to transform the way in which nations and markets allocate and price resources. And that means transforming how we care for our Earth.

The dominant way of handling environmental problems has been to identify their direct causes—for example, if too much fertilizer is put on agricultural land, we might impose standards about how much can be distributed per square kilometer. But this kind of regulation does not address the true root cause, which is the global agricultural system driven by our global economic system. Our idea of safe and just boundaries calls for tackling the underlying causes of environmental degradation and poverty. The better we care for our Earth, the better we care for one another.

Credit: Angela Morelli and Tom Gabriel Johansen/InfoDesignLab; Source: “Safe and Just Earth System Boundaries,” by Johan Rockström et al., in Nature , Vol. 619; May 2023 ( reference )

* Editor’s Note (4/26/24): This sentence was edited after posting to correct the description of the World Health Organization’s standards for fine particulate pollution.

Joyeeta Gupta is a professor of environment and development in the Global South at the University of Amsterdam and a professor at IHE Delft Institute for Water Education. She is one of three co-chairs of the Earth Commission. In 2023 she won the Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific research award bestowed by the Netherlands.

Angela Morelli and Tom Gabriel Johansen are information designers and co-founders of InfoDesignLab. They co-design with scientists and decision-makers to turn complex data into unique visualizations, meaningful narratives, compelling messages and decision-making tools.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• Open access
• Published: 29 March 2019

Over-exploitation of natural resources is followed by inevitable declines in economic growth and discount rate

• Adam Lampert   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8115-6688 1 , 2  

Nature Communications volume  10 , Article number:  1419 ( 2019 ) Cite this article

98k Accesses

84 Citations

18 Altmetric

Metrics details

• Environmental economics
• Sustainability

A major challenge in environmental policymaking is determining whether and how fast our society should adopt sustainable management methods. These decisions may have long-lasting effects on the environment, and therefore, they depend critically on the discount factor, which determines the relative values given to future environmental goods compared to present ones. The discount factor has been a major focus of debate in recent decades, and nevertheless, the potential effect of the environment and its management on the discount factor has been largely ignored. Here we show that to maximize social welfare, policymakers need to consider discount factors that depend on changes in natural resource harvest at the global scale. Particularly, the more our society over-harvests today, the more policymakers should discount the near future, but the less they should discount the far future. This results in a novel discount formula that implies significantly higher values for future environmental goods.

Similar content being viewed by others

Use and non-use value of nature and the social cost of carbon

Balancing the books of nature by accounting for ecosystem condition following ecological restoration

A meta-analysis of the ecological and economic outcomes of mangrove restoration

Introduction.

The exploitation of ecosystems by humans has long-lasting consequences for the future provision of natural resources and ecosystem services 1 , 2 . This may negatively affect the provision of food, increase health hazards and risks of natural disasters, and more. Degraded ecosystems may be slow to recover or may not recover naturally even after their exploitation stops 3 , 4 , 5 . Consequently, the availability of natural resources such as food, clean air, and other ecosystem services, may be adversely impacted for extended periods if the ecosystems providing these resources become degraded. For example, the emission of greenhouse gases may affect the global climate for centuries 6 , 7 ; invasive species and diseases may irreversibly damage ecosystems 8 , 9 ; and the non-sustainable harvest of fisheries and forests may leave these systems degraded for decades 2 , 4 , or even lead to their irreversible and permanent degradation 3 , 10 . Since natural resources are limited, it has been widely recognized that a transition to sustainable harvest is necessary 11 . What the optimal pathway and speed are for this transition, however, constitute the focus of an ongoing debate. For example, it has been suggested that an abrupt transition may slow economic growth in developing countries and may negatively affect production 12 , and that rapid emission cuts may create energy deficits before we manage to develop viable substitutes 13 .

Determining the optimal strategy for the adoption of sustainable management over time requires cost-benefit analyses. A common approach is to consider a social planner whose objective is to maximize social welfare 14 , 15 , 16 . This is often formalized as maximizing a net present value,

where B ( t ) is the benefit minus the cost (in units of consumption) due to both the management and the environment at time t , and Δ( t ) is the cumulative discount. In turn, the discount factor, exp(−Δ( t )), is the number of units of some good or currency needed at present to compensate for the lack of one unit at time t . The rationale behind discounting is that the objective of our society is to maximize welfare rather than net consumption. In turn, if society is going to be wealthier in the future, then one unit of consumed goods in the future may add less to welfare than the same unit today 14 , 15 , 16 .

Accurate discounting is particularly important for environmental policies in which the resultant damages are long-term, such as policies concerning climate change and provision of natural resources 6 , 17 , 18 . Specifically, a small difference in the discount may lead to a large difference in estimates of long-term environmental cost. For example, consider no changes in prices and a constant annual discount rate, δ  ≡ dΔ/d t . Then, if the cost due to losing some good today is $1M, then the cost due to losing the exact same good (no depreciation) 100 years from now is ~$50K if δ  = 3%, and only ~$2.5K if δ  = 6%. Therefore, even the best estimates of environmental damages may lead to an inadequate policy if we are unable to accurately convert future costs to their present-equivalent dollar value.

The central role that discounting plays in the valuation of natural resources has led to extensive debates over the value that policymakers should use for the discount rate and over how this value varies over time. Specifically, the small values given to future environmental goods due to discounting may contradict our intuition that our society should sustain our planet’s ecosystems for future generations. One major debate followed the publication of the Stern report 6 , which used a discount rate that is smaller than those used in previous major assessments, and consequently, argued for radical emission cuts. The bulk of the criticism 19 has focused on which discount rate should policymakers use (not on the comprehensive cost assessments). Also, several authors 16 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 proposed that policymakers should use a discount rate that declines over time, and they showed that this is justified if future economic growth is uncertain. Another mechanism that could affect the discount rate is a large perturbation that significantly affects social welfare 24 , 25 , such as an environmental degradation that may occur due to climate change or over-harvesting 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 . Particularly, several authors showed that global changes in the provision of non-substitutable natural resources might affect their relative prices 30 , 31 and the discount rate 25 , 32 . Nevertheless, these authors considered the changes in the provision of natural resources as given, while the long-term consequences of harvesting on economic growth and discount rate remain largely unknown.

In this paper, we examine how the discount rate and factor are affected by large changes in the harvest methods used at the global scale, such as the transition from over-harvesting to harvesting sustainably. Specifically, the decline in the provision of natural resources due to the future transition might be so large that it will significantly affect social welfare and economic growth. In turn, since discount rates depend on welfare and growth, this means that the discount rate itself could be affected. Revealing harvest-induced changes in the discount will provide policymakers with better evaluations of long-term benefits and costs, thereby enabling them to improve long-term environmental policies. We focus on the harvest of renewable resources in a broad sense, where non-sustainable harvest suppresses the future provision of the resource or the ecosystem service. Examples include the over-harvesting of fish and timber that degrades fisheries and forests 10 , and non-sustainable agriculture and land-use that make future land-use less effective 33 , 34 . We show that over-harvesting temporarily keeps the discount rate higher, but is followed by a period of lower discount rates during the same period in which society makes the transition to sustainable harvesting. Specifically, during the transition, the rates of economic growth and discount could be much lower than their rates before and after the transition. Therefore, the more our society over-harvests natural resources today, the more policymakers should discount the near future, but the less they should discount the far future. Furthermore, we prove a theorem implying that postponing or slowing the transition to sustainable harvesting cannot prevent the ultimate declines in the cumulative discount. Accordingly, we develop a discount formula that incorporates the changes in the harvest methods, which, in turn, dictates significantly higher net costs due to long-lasting environmental damages.

Theoretical framework

We consider a social welfare function, U T , that depends on the provision of some natural resource at the global scale, f ( t ), and on the consumption of the other goods, including manufactured goods, c ( t ) (Methods, Eq.  4 ). In turn, the dynamics of the c ( t ) and f ( t ), together with U T , determine the social rate of discount, δ ( t ), which specifies the rate at which goods should be discounted by a social planner whose objective is to maximize social welfare 15 , 16 , 35 . To define the social rate of discount (hereafter, the discount rate), we adopt a well-established framework 12 , 14 , 16 , 32 , 36 , 37 and we assume that it is given by the rate of decline in the marginal contribution of consumption to social welfare (consumption rate of discount). Specifically, we consider a given currency unit, a dollar, that enables the consumption of exactly με units of the natural resource and (1 −  μ ) ε units of the other goods, where 0 ≤  μ  ≤ 1 and ε is very small. Accordingly, the discount factor at time t is given by the number of dollars needed at present to compensate for a lack of one dollar at time t . Note that the choice of μ does not affect the value given to future goods, and therefore, it does not affect the policy and/or the management decisions; rather, μ determines the units and it affects only the relative role of the discount factor and the prices in determining the value of future goods 36 , 37 . In turn, we show that this implies that the discount rate, δ ( t ), and the cumulative discount \({\mathrm{\Delta }}(t) = {\int}_0^t \delta \left( {t\prime } \right){\mathrm{d}}t\prime\) , are given by Eq.  5 , and the prices of the natural resource and of the other goods are given by Eq.   A10 (Methods and Supplementary Note 1). Specifically, the discount rate and the prices depend on the substitutability of the natural resource and the other goods, which is incorporated in the social welfare function. In Supplementary Note 2, we derive specific expressions for the discount rate and for the prices in two cases, one in which the natural resource and the other goods are non-substitutable (Eqs.  B5 , B9 ), and one in which they are partially substitutable (Eqs.  B12 , B15 , B16 ).

In turn, the novel part of this study comes from endogenizing the dynamics of c ( t ) and f ( t ) by modeling how they depend on the harvest methods used globally (see Methods). This allows us to examine how the discount factor and the prices depend on changes in harvest methods. We assume that, if the harvest methods do not change, then c ( t ) and f ( t ) increase exponentially at fixed rates, g c and g f , respectively, due to exogenous factors such as technological developments and exogenous environmental changes; however, changes in the patterns of harvest may affect c ( t ) and f ( t ), thereby affecting the discount rate over time (see Methods). This approach builds on and generalizes previous studies that considered f ( t ) and c ( t ) that grows exponentially irrespective of the harvest 32 , 37 . Specifically, note that c ( t ) and f ( t ) characterize the total provision of the goods at the global scale, and accordingly, we consider a large ecosystem that comprises a large number of distinct regions (Fig.  1 ). This ecosystem may be, for example, the entire planet’s aquatic ecosystem, where each region is some local fishery providing fish; the forest area on a given continent, where each region is a single forest providing timber; or the area that can be used for agriculture worldwide, where each region is a local geographic area comprised of agricultural fields. We are interested in the long-lasting effects of harvesting on the provision of the natural resource, and therefore, we focus on irreversible degradations of the ecosystem, rather than on temporary fluctuations of the resource stock. These degradations may occur, for example, if some ecosystem services are permanently lost 5 or if the ecosystem that provides the renewable resource collapses or undergoes an irreversible regime shift in some of its regions, such as occurs in eutrophication and deforestation 3 , 4 , 10 . We assume that higher rates of non-sustainable harvest (higher H n ) result in a greater provision of the natural resource at the time of harvest but also result in a higher degradation of the ecosystem (Eq.  6 , see Methods). Specifically, we assume that a given portion of the global ecosystem, H ( t ), is being harvested in year t , while some portion of the ecosystem, H n ( t ), becomes degraded during that year due to non-sustainable harvest, and cannot be used for harvest thereafter (Fig.  1 ). For example, H n ( t ) may characterize the portion of the global fish or timber stock that is lost due to the collapse of fisheries or the irreversible degradation of forests worldwide in year t 38 . For another example, H n ( t ) may characterize the persistent reduction in the yield of crop caused by the degradation of vital ecosystem services and the increase in the persistence of pests 33 , 34 . In turn, H ( t ) and H n ( t ) are determined by the various harvest methods used in the system (see Methods).

Schematic illustration of the model. Demonstrated is the state of the system at the global scale (e.g., the entire planet’s marine area, forest area, or agricultural area) in a given year. The dark-gray area characterizes the part of the system that is degraded due to former non-sustainable harvesting. The light gray area with the arrows characterizes the part of the system that is being harvested non-sustainably and will be degraded starting next year (total dark-gray area is given by H n ). The green area with the fishing vessels characterizes the part of the system that is being harvested sustainably and will remain non-degraded next year (total green area is given by H s ). (Note that the total area under harvest, H , is given by the green and the light gray areas combined, H  =  H n  +  H s ). The blue area characterizes the part of the system that is not degraded but is still not being harvested. We assume that the spatial scale of the system is very large, and therefore, the recovery of the degraded areas due to migrating biota from other regions is negligible and the total degraded area increases over time. Each year, H n and H s are determined by the aggregate management by all the managers. We assume that managers may be subject to different externalities in distinct regions, e.g., some regions are managed by a single manager that dictates the harvest method, while some regions are shared (open-access), and all managers are free to harvest in them (rightmost region). The variables x 1 and x 2 (Eqs. 7 and 8 ) characterize the total non-degraded areas (blue, green, and light gray) in the managed and in the shared regions, respectively

To examine the effect of over-harvesting on the natural resource and on the discount rate, we compare scenarios in which over-harvesting occurs to scenarios in which it does not. We consider two approaches. First, we consider a competitive market approach in which we compare the optimal solution that maximizes social welfare with the solution that emerges in a model of a perfectly competitive market with externalities (Figs.  2 and 3 ). Specifically, the competitive market includes managed regions that have a single manager (e.g., landowner, government), and shared regions in which multiple managers are free to harvest (e.g., open-access) (see Methods). Second, we consider a more general approach in which we compare the dynamics that emerge when the harvest is entirely sustainable with the dynamics that emerge following various ad hoc choices of non-sustainable harvest functions (Theorem and Fig.  4 ).

Over-harvesting extends the period during which the discount rate is high, but it is followed by sharp declines in the discount rate and the cumulative discount. Panels a and b demonstrate the optimal harvest of the natural resource from a social planner’s perspective, where the natural resource and the other goods are either non-substitutable ( a , Eq.  B2 ) or partially substitutable ( b , Eq.  B10 ). In the early stages, harvesting activity increases exponentially and the discount rate is high. Approximately at time t 0 , when harvesting is occurring in the whole system ( H s  +  H n  =  x 1  +  x 2 ), the total harvest stops increasing and the discount rate decreases. Next, panels c and d demonstrate harvesting in a competitive market in which some of the regions are shared. The parameters and utility functions used in panels c and d are identical to those used in panels a and b , respectively. The period during which the discount rate is high is extended until t  =  t 1 due to over-harvesting of the natural resource in the shared regions (compare panel a with panel c , and compare panel b with panel d ). However, this period is followed by a rebound in which harvesting declines and the discount rate and the cumulative discount drop. In addition, around t  =  t 1 , the price of the natural resource increases and the total product decreases. Note that, in accordance with the theorem, the cumulative discount approaches lower values if the harvest is determined by the market. Scaling: the harvest rates are given in (years) −1 , the total non-degraded areas are given in units showing the maximal annual sustainable yield ( ax 1 and ax 2 ), and Δ is given by 100 times the value on the y -axis. The parameter values used are within their realistic ranges (Methods). Parameter values and Source data are provided as a Source Data file

Social welfare and the cumulative discount are ultimately lower if the transition to sustainable harvest is more gradual. Demonstrated are the aggregate non-sustainable harvest, H n ( t ) (solid lines); the aggregate sustainable harvest, H s ( t ) (dashed lines); and the cumulative discount, Δ (dotted lines), for two systems. System 1 (blue) follows the market solution, in which society abruptly stops harvesting non-sustainably at t  =  t 1 . System 2 (purple) follows the same dynamics until t  =  t 1 , but then, society gradually shifts to sustainable harvest. The gradual transition postpones the decline in the cumulative discount, but ultimately, it declines to an even lower value than its value in system 1. Moreover, the cumulative welfare, U t , in system 1 is initially smaller, but it ultimately becomes greater compared to system 2 (gray). Harvest rates are given in units of (years) −1 , and Δ is given by 100 times the value on the y -axis. The parameters are the same as in Fig.  2c (Parameter values and Source data are provided as a Source Data file)

The decline in the cumulative discount is unavoidable (demonstration of the theorem). At some point in time, − t 0 , some planetary boundaries for harvest have been approached, and the rate of discount that would have occurred if managers used only sustainable harvesting has decreased from δ today to δ sus (blue lines, Δ sus ). Nevertheless, due to over-harvesting, the economy grew faster and the cumulative discount, \({\mathrm{\Delta }}(t) = {\int}_0^t \delta (t{\prime}){\mathrm{d}}t{\prime}\) , continued to grow at a higher rate, δ today (solid orange lines), at least until today ( t  = 0). In turn, the future value of Δ( t ) depends on the future harvest patterns. If over-harvesting continues, the discount rate might remain close to δ today for several years or decades (dotted orange lines). But in the longer run, according to the theorem, Δ has to decrease below the blue curve that characterizes Δ sus , regardless of how the resource is being harvested. This is also demonstrated for three scenarios in panel a : In scenario 1, the non-sustainable harvest stops today, while in scenarios 2 and 3, the non-sustainable harvest continues for a few decades and then declines gradually. Also, note that Δ sus increases at a rate δ sus , so if one assumes that the discount rate remains δ today for the next τ years and becomes δ sus afterward, then he/she needs to subtract at least ϕ τ to obtain the correct Δ (Eqs.  2 and 3 ). (The value of ϕ τ is demonstrated in Fig.  5 .) We assume that u ( c , f ) is given by Eq.   B5 (non-substitutable goods) in panels a and c , and by Eq.   B12 (partially substitutable goods) in panels b and d . In turn, the scenarios are calculated for three different choices of H n ( t ), where the dynamics follow Eqs. 6 – 9 with H ( t ) =  x 1 ( t ) +  x 2 ( t ) for all t . The parameter values used are within their realistic ranges (Methods). Parameter values and Source data are provided as a Source Data file

Over-harvesting is followed by declines in the discount rate

Following the optimal solution in which the harvest functions maximize social welfare, two phases emerge along the time axis (Fig.  2a, b ). In the first phase ( t  <  t 0 ), c ( t ) is initially small, and the harvest rates are limited due to the direct cost of harvesting (Methods, Eq.  9 ). Over time, as c ( t ) increases, the direct cost plays a less significant role, and the harvest rates increase. Consequently, f ( t ) increases at a rate that is greater than g f , and the discount rate approximately follows Ramsey’s formula. In the second phase ( t  >  t 0 ), the entire ecosystem is under harvest (either sustainable or non-sustainable). Therefore, the society cannot increase f via harvesting without increasing the non-sustainable harvest (i.e., increasing H n ), which would negatively affect the resource’s future provision. Consequently, the non-sustainable harvest decreases exponentially and c ( t ) and f ( t ) increase at approximately the rates of their technological developments, namely, \(\dot c/c \approx g_{\mathrm{c}}\) and \(\dot f/f \approx g_{\mathrm{f}}\) . This implies that, if g f  <  g c , the discount rate in the second phase is lower than it was in the first phase (Eqs.  B6 , B13 , Supplementary Note  2 ). Note that the optimal solution comprises non-sustainable harvest ( H n  > 0) because an increase in f at a given time has a greater effect on welfare than the same increase at a later time; the lower the discount rate, the lower the rate of non-sustainable harvest.

In turn, in the competitive market solution (see Methods), the rate of non-sustainable harvest is higher than the socially optimal rate, namely, the solution exhibits over-harvesting (Fig.  2c, d ). Specifically, the harvest is still primarily sustainable in the managed regions but is non-sustainable in the shared regions. The total area under (non-sustainable) harvest in the shared regions increases over time, and consequently, f ( t ) continues to increase over an extended period of time, which postpones the decline in the discount rate. Eventually, however, at time t  =  t 1 (Fig.  2 ), the shared regions become entirely degraded and the total rate of non-sustainable harvest declines. In turn, the period during which managers over-harvest ( t  <  t 1 ) is followed by declines in the discount rate, the cumulative discount (Δ), total production (Eq.  A11 ), and the price of manufactured goods (Eq.  A10 ). These declines are greater if the magnitude and/or duration of the over-harvesting are greater (e.g., if more regions are shared), and also if the natural and the manufactured goods are non-substitutable. Note that the optimal solution exhibits no declines in economic growth or in Δ because the social planner plans for the forthcoming constraints on the harvest by avoiding over-harvesting in the early stages ( t  <  t 0 ); in the market solution, managers also take into account the forthcoming decline in f and avoid non-sustainable harvesting in the managed regions prior to time t  =  t 1 , but they still over-harvest in the shared regions. Also note that, in both the optimal and the market solutions, the harvest functions, as well as c ( t ) and f ( t ), do not depend on μ (only the discount and the prices do).

Decline in the cumulative discount is unavoidable (theorem)

More generally, the following theorem shows that over-harvesting may result in an increase in Δ in the short run, but ultimately, Δ would return to a lower value than it would have had if managers used optimal harvesting or only sustainable harvesting (see proof in Supplementary Note 3 and demonstration in Figs.  3 and 4 ). Specifically, a more gradual transition to using sustainable harvest methods may result in a more gradual decline in Δ, but the ultimate magnitude of the decline must exceed that of the incline in Δ that occurred formerly due to the over-harvesting (Figs.  3 and 4a ). In particular, the theorem shows that the result is robust and does not depend on specific assumptions and parameters. It applies not only in the competitive market model but also in the more general case in which non-sustainable harvest is used instead of more sustainable harvest.

Theorem . Assume that the social welfare, U T , is given by Eq. 4 , where f(t) is given by Eq. 6 , and c(t) is given by Eq. 9 with C 1   =   C 2   =   constant (Methods). Also, assume that u(c,f) is monotonically increasing and twice differentiable with respect to both of c and f, and all of its second partial derivatives are non-positive (namely, an increase in c or f does not cause another increase to be more beneficial). In addition, we consider g f   =   0 and assume that as c   \(\rightarrow\)   ∞ while f remains fixed, u c /u f   \(\rightarrow\)   0 (the price of c approaches 0), u cc /u ff   \(\rightarrow\)   0 and u cf /u ff   \(\rightarrow\)   0. (Alternatively, we consider g f   >   0 and assume that u satisfies the conditions of Lemmas 2B and 3). Finally, we assume that, for sufficiently large t, cu fc /u f and fu ff /u f are monotone with respect to t. (All these assumptions are satisfied if u is given by Eqs.   B2 , B10 with η   >   1, or various other standard forms 32 , 37 .)

Denote Δ opt as the cumulative discount (Eq.   5 ) that emerges following the optimal harvest. Namely, the non-negative harvest functions maximize social welfare (max U T subject to Eqs. 6 – 9 where T   \(\rightarrow\)   ∞; see Methods). Next, denote Δ market as the cumulative discount that emerges where the harvest functions are determined if each manager aims to maximize her/his own profit and the non-sustainable harvest may be higher than its socially optimal level (Methods). Then, there exists a time t c such that Δ market   ≤   Δ opt for all t   ≥   t c . Furthermore, denote Δ sus as the cumulative discount that emerges following optimal harvest while excluding non-sustainable harvest (H n   =   0). Then, for any Δ that emerges if non-sustainable harvest occurs (H n (t)   >   0) between times t 0 and t 1 , there exists t c   >   t 1 such that Δ(t c )   ≤   Δ sus (t c ) .

A new discount formula

The theorem shows that an upper bound on Δ( t ) in the long run is given by Δ sus ( t ), the cumulative discount that would have occurred if managers used only sustainable harvest, which increases at a rate given by δ sus (Fig.  4 and Supplementary Note 2). Also, the present value of Δ sus is below Δ because over-harvesting already has occurred prior to today. Specifically, ϕ 0  = Δ(0) − Δ sus (0) reflects the negative shock to Δ that must occur during the transition to sustainable harvest methods due to the prior over-harvesting. It follows that, if t is sufficiently large and δ sus is constant, then

Particularly, if the discount rate has been δ today  >  δ sus due to non-sustainable harvest during the last t 0 years, and if δ today and δ sus have been constants, then ϕ 0  = ( δ today  −  δ sus ) t 0 .

The correction to the value of future goods is significant

Next, we calculate the correction to the value of future natural goods as dictated from Eq. 2 . Specifically, we compare the value dictated by the formula to the value dictated by a benchmark policy that assumes that the rate of increase in the provision of the natural resource would remain g c for the next τ years and decrease to g f thereafter 12 . Namely, this benchmark policy ignores the negative shock and simply uses a discount rate given by δ ( t ) =  δ today if t  ≤  τ and δ ( t ) =  δ sus if t  >  τ . In turn, we would like to calculate the correction to that policy due to the negative shock to Δ. Note that the inevitable decline in the future value of the cumulative discount, ϕ 0 (Eq.  2 ), is what policymakers need to incorporate due to the over-harvesting that has already occurred before t  = 0. But if the discount rate remained δ today for the next τ years, until t  =  τ , then the lower bound on the negative shock, ϕ τ , would be greater than ϕ 0 and given by (Fig.  4 )

This greater shock would compensate for the τ years with the higher discount, such that, in the long run, Δ( t ) would still satisfy Eq. 2 . Note that the shock may be gradual and spread over many years, but this decline in Δ( t ) eventually occurs (Theorem, Figs.  3 and 4 ).

Therefore, this shock implies that the correct discount factor should be greater by a factor of at least exp( ϕ τ ) compared to the one implied by the benchmark policy. Namely, ignoring this shock and simply considering the benchmark policy would result in underestimating the value of future natural goods by a factor of at least exp( ϕ τ ) (Fig.  5 ). In turn, the magnitude of ϕ τ depends on the substitutability of the natural resource and the other goods, as well as on the exogenous growth rates, g c and g f (Supplementary Note 2). For example, if the natural resource is non-substitutable (Eq.  B2 ), then δ sus is given by Eq.   B5 and ( δ today  −  δ sus )  \(\rightarrow\)   η ( g c  −  g f ) as t   \(\rightarrow\)  ∞ (Eq.  B7 ). Expressions that result from other utility functions are given in Supplementary Note 2 and in the literature 32 , 37 . These expressions enable us to quantify exp( ϕ τ ) and examine how it depends on the parameters (Fig.  5 ). For example, if g f  = 1% year −1 , g c  = 2% year −1  36 and τ  = 50 years, then the value of future goods before the adjustment is underestimated by a factor greater than two (exp( ϕ τ ) > 2), and this factor is greater if g f is smaller or if τ is larger.

Endogenizing changes in harvest patterns implies a larger discount factor and higher values for future environmental goods. If a policymaker considers a gradual transition to sustainable harvest that would occur within τ years, then he/she may consider a sustainable discount rate, δ sus , starting from year τ . In addition, however, he/she needs to add to Δ another factor, ϕ τ , that accounts for the decline in the cumulative discount that will follow due to over-harvesting prior to time τ (Eqs.  2 , 3 and Fig.  4 ). This factor may impose significantly higher values on future goods, e.g., over two times higher if τ  = 50 years and g f  = 1% year −1 (exp( ϕ τ ) > 2 in both panels a and b ) and even significantly higher for higher values of τ or lower values of g f . However, if the long-term provision of the natural resource continues to increase at the same rate as the other goods, i.e., g f  =  g c  = 2% year −1 , then δ sus  =  δ today and ϕ τ  = 0 (Eq.  3 ). The other parameter values are the same as in Fig.  4 (Parameter values and Source data are provided as a Source Data file)

After over-harvesting for decades, many societies around the world are beginning to transition to sustainable environmental management practices and sustainable harvest methods 11 . Our study shows that the transition to sustainable harvest methods after a period of over-harvesting is expected to result in a decline in social welfare, economic growth, and the discount rate. In particular, we show that the discount rate, or the social rate of discount, does not decline gradually to its sustainable asymptotic rate; rather, the transition to sustainable harvest may include a period during which the discount rate is far below its asymptotic level (Figs.  2 – 4 and Theorem). Note that several studies suggested that policymakers need to consider discount rates that decline gradually over time due to various mechanisms, including uncertainty in technological growth 16 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , slowdown in technological development due to environmental degradation 27 , 28 , and declining production due to decline in the exploitation of natural resources 12 . In contrast, we showed here that the transition to sustainable harvest imposes a sharper, non-gradual decline in the cumulative discount (Figs.  2 – 4 ). The mechanism underlying this sharper decline is that the rate of increase in the provision of natural resources not only slows down, but must at some point become lower than it would be if over-harvesting had never occurred. In turn, social welfare depends on the provision of natural resources, and therefore, a decline in their provision implies a lower discount rate.

Our results also suggest that the calculations of the discount factor in the long run should not rely on simple extrapolations of the discount rates in the short run. Specifically, over-harvesting might continue for a couple of decades, which may keep the provision of natural resources high in the short run, but will ultimately result in an even lower provision of these resources. Therefore, continued over-harvesting may justify considering higher discount rates in the short run, but it also necessitates discounting the long run less (Fig.  4a ). Ignoring the harvest-induced decline in the discount rate not only falsifies cost-benefit analyses, it also creates a bias: Over-harvesting increases the discount rate in the short run, which might unjustifiably bias the expectations of policymakers to anticipate higher future discount rates, which, in turn, is used to justify further exploitation. (This may also explain why policymakers should consider lower discount rates in the long run although there is no clear evidence that the rate of return on capital will decline during the next 30–40 years 15 .)

To correct for this bias and account for the future decline in the cumulative discount, we developed a new discount formula (Eqs.  2 and 3 ), which provides a simple way to estimate the increase in the present value of future goods due to the transition to sustainable harvest methods. Specifically, policymakers need to consider a cumulative discount, Δ( t ) (Eq.  1 ), that is lower in the long run due to its decline during the transition to sustainable harvest. Although further over-harvesting may postpone the timing of the decline, we prove in the theorem that the decline eventually comes with a rebound as Δ( t ) decreases even further: The more our society over-harvests, the lower Δ( t ) ultimately becomes. Therefore, the expected decline in the cumulative discount must be at least as large as its former increase due to over-harvesting (Eq.  2 , Fig.  4 ). In turn, this former increase is given by Eq. 3 . The correction to discounting suggested by our formula is significant (Fig.  5 ), where adjustments of the order of magnitude implied by the formula suggest significant changes in climate policy, including significant emission cuts 6 , 36 .

Note that the effect of harvest on discounting should be considered in addition to (not instead of) changes dictated by various other mechanisms and considerations. In particular, there is a controversy over the value of the rate of pure time preference, ρ , that should be used in environmental policies; some authors argue that policymakers should determine ρ based on individual’s preferences ( ρ  ≈ 3% year −1 ), but others argue that policymakers should use ρ  ≈ 0 based on considerations of intergenerational equity 6 , 16 , 19 , 39 . The value of ϕ τ , however, does not depend on the value of ρ and should be subtracted from Δ regardless of that choice. Similarly, uncertainty about technological development may imply that policymakers need to consider δ sus that declines over time 16 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , which implies another decline in the cumulative discount on top of the one suggested here. Also, note that the future values of natural resources do not depend on the proportion given to their consumption in the currency unit, μ . Specifically, their future values do not depend on whether they are accounted for as market or as non-market goods. Nevertheless, μ does affect the relative weights given to the discount factor and to the prices of natural resources in determining the resources’ future values 32 , 36 , 37 . Specifically, ignoring the role of non-market natural resources in economic growth (considering a small μ ) would imply that a change in the provision of these resources has a larger effect on their prices but a smaller effect on the discount factor (Supplementary Note 1). Therefore, focusing on the inevitable increase in the price of natural resources following their over-harvesting would result in the same conclusions and present an alternative approach to the one presented here. In particular, the adjustment exp( ϕ τ ) (Fig.  5 ) is due to the change in the discount factor, while the complementary change in the price (Fig.  2 ) introduces another adjustment to the future value of natural resources 36 . The total adjustment due to changes in both discount and prices does not depend on the choice of μ , and would be ≥exp( ϕ τ ). The significant effect that the global transition to sustainable harvest has on the future value of natural resources suggests that climate policies should be determined jointly with other environmental policies.

Model overview

We begin with describing a well-established framework 32 , 36 , 37 that specifies how social welfare and the discount rate depend on the provision of the natural resource over time, f ( t ), and on the consumption of other goods over time, c ( t ). Next, we specify how harvest at the global scale affects the dynamics of f ( t ) and c ( t ) (which would grow exponentially if the harvest functions are fixed). We complete the model by describing how the harvest strategies are determined by the various managers in a competitive market.

Model of social welfare and the discount rate

We consider a social welfare function that is given by the widely-used form 12 , 32 , 36 , 37

where u ( c , f ) is the instantaneous utility that increases as c and f increase (Table  1 ), ρ is a constant rate of pure time preference, and T is a time horizon (we are interested in the limit T   \(\rightarrow\)  ∞). The distinction between the provision or consumption of the natural resource, f ( t ), and that of the other goods, c ( t ) is necessary here because, if the natural resource and the other goods are not entirely substitutable and the ratio between them varies over time, then social welfare depends on the ratio between c and f over time and cannot be written as a function of a single variable 29 . In turn, the substitutability is determined by the form of u 12 , 29 , 37 . For example, the goods may be non-substitutable, characterized by separable utility functions (Supplementary Note 2, Eq.  B2 ), if one good cannot compensate for the lack of the other good (e.g., many cars cannot compensate for a lack of food). Alternatively, the goods may be partially substitutable (Eq.  B10 ) if a sufficient amount of one good may compensate for the lack of the other good (e.g., many carrots can compensate for the lack of fish).

In turn, note that there are several candidates for quantifying the social rate of discount 15 , including the consumption rate of discount and the social and private rates of return to investment. These three quantities are closely-related, and, in a perfectly competitive market, they become equal and reflect the marginal productivity of capital. In this study, as in numerous related studies 12 , 14 , 16 , 32 , 36 , 37 , the focus is on the consumption rate of discount, which is the rate of decline in the marginal contribution of consumption to social welfare. In other words, the corresponding discount factor specifies how many units of consumption added at present would have the same effect on social welfare as a single unit added at time t . In turn when the welfare depends on multiple goods, the discount may depend on the particular good that the policymaker considers 31 , 36 , 37 . (This simply reflects the relative price changes of the goods.) Therefore, to define discount in our system, we consider a small, marginal perturbation to both c and f . Specifically, we consider a given currency unit, a dollar, that allows the consumption of exactly με units of the natural resource and (1 −  μ ) ε units of the other goods, where 0 ≤  μ  ≤ 1 and ε   ≪   c (0), f (0). Accordingly, we define the discount factor at time t as the number of dollars needed at present to compensate for a lack of one dollar at time t . This implies that the discount rate, δ ( t ), is given by (Supplementary Note 1)

where subscripts in this equation denote partial derivatives and the discount factor is given by exp(−Δ). The right side of Eq. 5 , without the term ρ , is due to the change in the marginal contribution of c and f to social welfare. (Note that, if μ  = 0 and d c / d t =  cg c , then Eq. 5 becomes the Ramsey’s discount formula 14 , 16 , δ ( t ) =  ηg c  +  ρ , where η  ≡  cu c / u cc .) In turn, if μ reflects the portion in society’s basket of goods allocated to consumption of the natural resource, then our definition is consistent with the way the marginal productivity of capital is measured, and the total product (e.g., GDP) is proportional to the total value of all the goods (Supplementary Note  1 , Eq.  A11 ). Alternatively, if we are interested in discounting some climate damage, then we can chose μ to be proportional to the cost that is due to the damage to the natural resource. Note, however, that the choice of μ only determines the units and does not affect the value given to future goods. Specifically, if the proportion of damages to the natural resource differs from μ , then one should consider the changes in relative prices in addition to discounting 36 , 37 . For example, several authors 37 considered a dual discounting framework in which the natural resource is discounted with μ  = 0 and the manufactured goods with μ  = 1, where the change in the relative price accounts for the difference; this approach is equivalent to the one presented here.

Model of the dynamics and management of the natural resource

Next, we specify how the harvest methods of the renewable natural resource at the global scale determine the dynamics of c ( t ) and f ( t ) (Fig. 1). Note that the aggregate harvest functions at the global scale are determined by the various harvest methods used at the local scale. In turn, at the local scale, a non-sustainable harvest in a given area during a given year yields β units of the natural resource per unit area, but the ecosystem in that area becomes degraded and ceases to yield resources thereafter. In turn, sustainable harvest in a given area yields less resource ( αβ units, where 0 <  α  < 1 is a constant), but the area remains fully functional for future use. For example, non-sustainable harvest may include aggressive fishing methods that inflict irreversible damage on fish populations and their habitats, while sustainable harvest implies sustaining fish populations and harvest at the fish growth rate, while also using methods that preserve the habitat and the age and size structures of the fish 38 . In turn, the productivity of the natural resource per unit area, β , may increase due to technological developments but may also decrease due to other environmental changes, such as climate change. Accordingly, we assume that β ( t ) =  β 0 exp( g f t ), where β 0  =  β (0) and g f is the rate of change in productivity. It follows that the total amount of the natural resource harvested globally at time t is given by

where H n is the area that is non-sustainably harvested in year t (becomes degraded and cannot be harvested thereafter), and H s ( t ) is the area that is being sustainably harvested and remain non-degraded in year t ( H s ( t ) =  H ( t ) −  H n ( t )).

In turn, we distinguish two types of regions: those that have a single manager, and those that are shared such that all managers are free to harvest. Ultimately, the harvest methods used by all managers determine the total areas that become degraded at time t in the managed and in the shared regions at the global scale, \(H_{\mathrm{n}}^1(t)\) and \(H_{\mathrm{n}}^2(t)\) , respectively \(\left( {H_{\mathrm{n}} = H_{\mathrm{n}}^1 + H_{\mathrm{n}}^2} \right)\) . Accordingly, the total non-degraded areas in all managed regions, x 1 , and in all shared regions, x 2 , decrease due to non-sustainable harvest as follows:

Moreover, the harvest functions are constrained by the non-degraded areas:

for all t , where \(H_{\mathrm{s}} = H_{\mathrm{s}}^1 + H_{\mathrm{s}}^2\) .

In turn, we assume that harvest comes with a direct cost as more labor and resources are directed toward harvesting. We incorporate this direct cost as a reduction in c ( t ), which would otherwise grow exponentially at an exogenous rate g c due to technological developments. Specifically, we assume that c ( t ) is given by

where C 1 and C 2 are the direct costs of harvesting (in units of c ), and λ is the ratio between the direct costs of non-sustainable and sustainable harvest.

Model of the competitive market

It remains to specify how the harvest strategies of the managers at the local scale are determined, and how these strategies determine the harvest functions at the global scale, \(H_{\mathrm{s}}^1(t),\hskip 4ptH_{\mathrm{s}}^2(t),\hskip 4ptH_{\mathrm{n}}^1\) , and \(H_{\mathrm{n}}^2(t)\) . We are interested in comparing two types of solutions: The optimal solution that maximizes the social welfare, and the market solution that emerges in a competitive market. The optimal solution is found via the maximization of the social welfare (Eq.  4 ) subject to the constraints given in Eqs. 6 – 9 . In turn, to define the market solution, we consider a competitive market in which each manager aims to maximize her/his own utility. Specifically, we consider a well-established framework in which the market is perfectly competitive, such that, if property rights are defined everywhere and there are no externalities, the market solution coincides with the optimal solution 12 , 14 , 31 , 40 , 41 , 42 . In turn, the market solution depends on the form of the externalities for the various managers, namely, it depends on how non-sustainable harvest by a given manager affects the ecosystem in regions managed by other managers.

To define the externalities, we distinguish between managed regions and shared regions (Fig.  1 ). Each managed region is managed by a single manager who determines the harvest method, which may vary anywhere between using only sustainable methods and using only non-sustainable methods. In turn, the harvest method in a given region determines the portion of the region that is harvested and the rate at which the region becomes degraded (Fig.  1 ). We assume that the management in a given managed region has no externalities as it affects only the degradation level in that region. In turn, the shared regions are managed by a very large number of managers, each of whom is free to harvest without restrictions there. Specifically, we assume that each manager ignores the effect of her/his actions on the future provision of the resource in the shared regions and considers only her/his instantaneous benefit and cost from the harvest. Consequently, the managers have the incentive to increase non-sustainable harvest in the shared regions until the price of the natural resource equals the direct cost of the harvest. These considerations enable us to find the market solution that is given by the unique Nash equilibrium (see the section Numerical methods). In particular, the perfectly competitive market assumption implies that the management in the managed regions is socially optimal under the constraint given by the management in the shared regions. Note that, without shared regions ( x 2  = 0), there are no externalities and the market solution coincides with the optimal solution.

Numerical methods

The numerical results showing the optimal and market solutions are demonstrated in Figs.  2 and 3 , system 1. The optimal solution is given by the unique set of non-negative aggregate harvest functions, \(H_{\mathrm{s}}^1(t),\hskip 4ptH_{\mathrm{s}}^2(t),\hskip 4ptH_{\mathrm{n}}^1\) , and \(H_{\mathrm{n}}^2(t)\) , that maximize social welfare: max U T (Eq.  4 ) in the limit T   \(\rightarrow\)  ∞, where c ( t ) and f ( t ) are given by Eqs. 6 and 9 , subject to the constraint given in Eqs. 7 and 8 . (Note that using the social welfare function given in Eq.   4 with a constant ρ , and considering deterministic dynamics of c and f , guarantee that the optimization problem is time consistent and has a unique solution 12 , 37 .) In turn, the market solution is determined by a perfectly competitive market where each manager maximizes her/his own profit. Specifically, consider the set of non-negative harvest functions that maximize utility, max U T (Eq.  4 ) as T   \(\rightarrow\)  ∞, subject to the constraint given by Eqs. 7a and 8 and the constraint d x 2 /d t  =  X ( t ). Then, the market harvest is given by the unique solution that satisfies \(X(t) = H_{\mathrm{n}}^2(t)\) (consisteny criterion).

We used algorithms that find the exact solutions provided that the resolutions are sufficiently fine. Specifically, to find the optimal solution numerically, our algorithm uses Stochastic Programming with backward induction (Supplementary Note 4) 43 , 44 . (Note that the model’s dynamics are deterministic but the general method is still called stochastic.) To find the market solution, our algorithm also uses Stochastic Programming to solve for a given value of X . But it finds a solution multiple times, each time for a different value of X , until it finds the solution that satisfies the consisteny criterion. These algorithms are coded in C/C++ and are described in detail in Supplementary Note 4.

In turn, in the results shown in Fig.  3 , system 2, as well as in Figs.  4 and 5 and in the graphical tool, we assume that the dynamics of c and f follow Eqs. 6 – 9 , but we consider harvest functions that are not given by either the optimal solution or the market solution. In Fig.  3 , system 2, we consider harvest functions that follow the market solution until t  =  t 1 and after t  =  t 1  + 10, but between these times, the non-sustainable harvest decreases gradually from its maximal level to zero. In Fig.  4 , we calculate Δ sus , which is the cumulative discount that emerges if the harvest is entirely sustainable, namely, H n  = 0 and H s  =  x 1  +  x 2 if t  > 0. Also, in Fig.  4a , we consider three scenarios in which the non-sustainable harvest is higher in the beginning but eventually approaches zero, while H n  +  H s  =  x 1  +  x 2 .

After we determine the harvest functions, the functions c ( t ) and f ( t ) are calculated according to Eqs. 6 and 9 . In turn, we calculate the discount rate and the cumulative discount according to Eq. 5 (where the cumulative discount is the integral over time of the discount rate). Specifically, for the case in which only sustainable harvest is used (Δ sus in Fig.  4 ), the discount rates are calculated in Supplementary Note 2 and are given by Eqs.   B5 and B12 . The prices are given by Eq.   A10 , and the total product is given by Eq.   A11 . All of these equations are derived in Supplementary Notes  1 , 2 .

Choice of parameters

The parameter values used for all of the numerical simulations, which are given in the Source Data file, are within their realistic ranges. The rate of technological growth is around 1.5–2.0% year −1 in developed countries and is higher in some developing countries 16 , 45 . In turn, the rate of growth in the yield per unit of sustainable harvest, g f , depends on the specific natural resource, where values that were considered in the literature vary from g c down to much lower (even negative) values 32 , 37 . Next, the value of 0 ≤  a  ≤ 1 (unitless) also depends on the particular system. In a fishery, for example, if non-sustainable harvest would imply catching all the fish and sustainable harvest would imply keeping the fish population size fixed, then a would be the growth rate of the fish (i.e., 2% year −1 for large fish and higher rates for smaller fish) 38 ; In agriculture, sustainable management implies the use of environmentally friendly pest control methods and effective water management, which may result in a comparable crop yield ( α   ≲  1), but may be more expensive ( λ  > 1) 33 , 34 . In turn, the ratio between c ( t ) and the direct costs, C 1 and C 2 (Eq.  9 ), determines the relative portion of c that is needed per unit of harvest. Specifically, c (and thus the ratio) is initially small but increases due to technological changes. Also, C 1 and C 2 may vary with x 1 and x 2 if the cost varies among regions (e.g., if near-shore regions are depleted, the average direct cost of harvest may increase). Next, note that 0 ≤  μ  ≤ 1 (unitless) can be chosen arbitrarily by the policymaker, as it does not affect the harvest strategy and the future value of the natural resource; rather, it determines the currency unit, which, in turn, determines the relative role of the discount and the price in determining the future value of the natural resource. A reasonable choice would be the portion in the basket of goods of the natural resource (e.g., the portion of agricultural products in consumption is ~5% in the United States and is higher in various developing countries), but μ may be higher if non-market goods are incorporated. Finally, a variety of utility functions that incorporate both c and f were suggested in the literature 12 , 32 , 37 , including the two that are used here (Eqs.  B2 , B10 ) 12 , where estimates of η vary between 1 and 3 (unitless) 16 , 41 , 45 , and suggested values for ρ varies between 0 and 3% (year −1 ) 6 , 16 , 19 , 45 .

Analytical and theoretical analysis

The general discount formula (Eq.  5 ) is derived in Supplementary Note 1. The discount formulas for the special cases presented in the figures are derived in Supplementary Note 2. The proof of the theorem is given in Supplementary Note 3.

Data availability

No datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study. All the data needed to reproduce the results is given in the paper. In particular, the parameter values used for each figure are given in the Source Data file. These parameter values are taken from the references that are cited in the Methods section.

Code availability

The algorithm that we used for finding the optimal and market solutions (Figs.  2 and 3 ) is described in Supplementary Note 4. The C/C++ code used for generating Figs.  2 and 3 as well as the Matlab code used for generating Figs.  4 and 5 are available as a supplementary code.

Assessment, M. E. Ecosystems and Human Well-being (Island Press, Washington, DC, 2005).

Groom, M. J., Meffe, G. K. & Carroll, C. R. Principles of Conservation Biology (Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, 2006).

Scheffer, M. & Carpenter, S. R. Catastrophic regime shifts in ecosystems: linking theory to observation. Trends Ecol. & Evol. 18 , 648–656 (2003).

Article   Google Scholar  

Folke, C. et al. Regime shifts, resilience, and biodiversity in ecosystem management. Annu. Rev. Ecol., Evol., Syst. 35 , 557–581 (2004).

Moreno-Mateos, D. et al. Anthropogenic ecosystem disturbance and the recovery debt. Nat. Commun. 8 , 14163 (2017).

Article   ADS   CAS   Google Scholar  

Stern, N. H. The Economics of Climate Change: the Stern Review . (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007).

Solomon, S., Plattner, G.-K., Knutti, R. & Friedlingstein, P. Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 106 , 1704–1709 (2009).

Coomes, D. A., Allen, R. B., Forsyth, D. M. & Lee, W. G. Factors preventing the recovery of New Zealand forests following control of invasive deer. Conserv. Biol. 17 , 450–459 (2003).

Hulme, P. E. Beyond control: wider implications for the management of biological invasions. J. Appl. Ecol. 43 , 835–847 (2006).

Barnosky, A. D. et al. Approaching a state shift in Earth’s biosphere. Nature 486 , 52–58 (2012).

Bringezu, S. & Bleischwitz, R. Sustainable Resource Management: Global Trends, Visions and Policies (Routledge, New York, 2009).

Xepapadeas, A. in Handbook of Environmental Economics (ed. Vincent, J. R. and Mäler, K. G.). (Elsevier, North Holland, 2005).

Chu, S. & Majumdar, A. Opportunities and challenges for a sustainable energy future. Nature 488 , 294–303 (2012).

Ramsey, F. P. A mathematical theory of saving. Econ. J. 38 , 543–559 (1928).

Groom, B., Hepburn, C., Koundouri, P. & Pearce, D. Declining discount rates: the long and the short of it. Environ. Resour. Econ. 32 , 445–493 (2005).

Arrow, K. J. et al. Should governments use a declining discount rate in project analysis? Rev. Environ. Econ. Policy 8 , 145–163 (2014).

Nordhaus, W. D. To slow or not to slow: the economics of the greenhouse effect. Econ. J. 101 , 920–937 (1991).

Arrow, K. J. et al. Determining benefits and costs for future generations. Science 341 , 349–350 (2013).

Nordhaus, W. D. A review of the Stern review on the economics of climate change. J. Econ. Lit. 45 , 686–702 (2007).

Weitzman, M. L. Why the far-distant future should be discounted at its lowest possible rate. J. Environ. Econ. Manag. 36 , 201–208 (1998).

Weitzman, M. L. Gamma discounting. Am. Econ. Rev. 90 , 260–271 (2001).

Weitzman, M. L. A review of the Stern Review on the economics of climate change. J. Econ. Lit. 45 , 703–724 (2007).

Gollier, C. Pricing the Planet’s Future: the Economics of Discounting in an Uncertain World (Princeton University Press, Princeton, 2013).

Van der Zwaan, B. C., Gerlagh, R. & Schrattenholzer, L. Endogenous technological change in climate change modelling. Energy Econ. 24 , 1–19 (2002).

Dietz, S. & Hepburn, C. Benefit–cost analysis of non-marginal climate and energy projects. Energy Econ. 40 , 61–71 (2013).

Dell, M., Jones, B. F. & Olken, B. A. Temperature shocks and economic growth: evidence from the last half century. Am. Econ. J.: Macroecon. 4 , 66–95 (2012).

Google Scholar  

Moore, F. C. & Diaz, D. B. Temperature impacts on economic growth warrant stringent mitigation policy. Nat. Clim. Change 5 , 127–131 (2015).

Article   ADS   Google Scholar  

Dietz, S. & Stern, N. Endogenous growth, convexity of damage and climate risk: how Nordhaus’ framework supports deep cuts in carbon emissions. Econ. J. 125 , 574–620 (2015).

Drupp, M. A. Limits to substitution between ecosystem services and manufactured goods and implications for social discounting. Environ. Resour. Econ. 69 , 135–158 (2018).

Neumayer, E. Global warming: discounting is not the issue, but substitutability is. Energy Policy 27 , 33–43 (1999).

Neumayer, E. Weak Versus Strong Sustainability: Exploring the Limits of Two Opposing Paradigms (Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham, 2003).

Hoel, M. & Sterner, T. Discounting and relative prices. Clim. Change 84 , 265–280 (2007).

Brewer, M. J. & Goodell, P. B. Approaches and incentives to implement integrated pest management that addresses regional and environmental issues. Annu. Rev. Entomol. 57 , 41–59 (2012).

Article   CAS   Google Scholar  

Lefebvre, M., Langrell, S. R. & Gomez-y-Paloma, S. Incentives and policies for integrated pest management in Europe: a review. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 35 , 27–45 (2015).

Lind, R. C. in Discounting for Time and Risk in Energy Policy (eds Lind, R. C. et al.) (Resources for the Future, Washington, DC, 1982).

Sterner, T. & Persson, U. M. An even sterner review: Introducing relative prices into the discounting debate. Rev. Environ. Econ. Policy 2 , 61–76 (2008).

Traeger, C. P. Sustainability, limited substitutability, and non-constant social discount rates. J. Environ. Econ. Manag. 62 , 215–228 (2011).

Clark, C. W. Mathematical Bioeconomics: the Mathematics of Conservation (John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, 2010).

Stern, N. Ethics, equity and the economics of climate change paper 2. Econ. Philos. 30 , 445–501 (2014).

Becker, R. A. & Boyd III, J. H. Capital Theory, Equilibrium Analysis, and Recursive Utility (Wiley-Blackwell, New Jersey, 1997).

Evans, D. J. The elasticity of marginal utility of consumption: estimates for 20 OECD countries. Fisc. Stud. 26 , 197–224 (2005).

Romer D. Advanced Macroeconomics , 4th edn (Mcgraw-Hill, New York, 2011).

Conrad, J. M. & Clark, C. W. Natural Resource Economics: Notes and Problems (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1987).

Clark, C. W. & Mangel, M. Dynamic State Variable Models in Ecology: Methods and Applications (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000).

Nordhaus, W. D. Managing the Global Commons: the Economics of Climate Change . (MIT press, Cambridge, MA, 1994).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The author sincerely thanks Charles Perrings for his valuable comments on the paper. The author thanks SAL MCMSC, CLAS and SHESC, ASU, for funding (no. DN5-1057).

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA

Adam Lampert

Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Science Center, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Contributions

A.L. designed the research, composed the model, conducted the research, and wrote the paper.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adam Lampert .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The author declares no competing interests.

Additional information

Journal peer review information : Nature Communications thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer reviewer reports are available.

Publisher’s note: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

Supplementary information, peer review file, source data, source data, rights and permissions.

Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Lampert, A. Over-exploitation of natural resources is followed by inevitable declines in economic growth and discount rate. Nat Commun 10 , 1419 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09246-2

Download citation

Received : 08 August 2018

Accepted : 25 February 2019

Published : 29 March 2019

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-09246-2

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

This article is cited by

A comprehensive analysis of the inter-relationships of impact between automotive industry, economic growth, natural resources and environmental degradation: morocco as an example.

• Mohammed El-Khodary
• Amine El Kadri
• Sara Dassouli

Environment, Development and Sustainability (2024)

Impact of LULC changes on hydrological flow regimes and runoff coefficient in Upper Jhelum Basin, India

• Shahid Ul Islam
• Sumedha Chakma

Sustainable Water Resources Management (2024)

Exploring the Spatiotemporal Changes and Driving Forces of Ecosystem Services of Zhejiang Coasts, China, Under Sustainable Development Goals

• Xingru Shen

Chinese Geographical Science (2024)

Evaluating the long-term influence of climate change on rainfall erosivity in the Jhelum Catchment: a GCM-based analysis

Selection mechanism of water saving service company based on multi-attribute bidding and auction.

• Honghua Shi
• Zhengrong Cheng

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines . If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Frontiers for Young Minds

• Download PDF

How Can We All Help Conserve Nature?

When we speak about conserving nature, we are really talking about taking care of our future, because nature provides essential resources for our survival and enjoyment. We asked an international group of scientists working on different environmental issues worldwide to identify important practical actions that we can all do to help conserve nature. We obtained nearly 100 responses and grouped them into three main categories: (1) Actions to reduce our ecological footprint; (2) Actions to conserve nature; and (3) Actions that help us connect with nature. We briefly explain actions that can be performed daily to reduce our impact on nature, and provide some useful links for further reading.

Protecting Nature to Ensure Our Future

We often forget how much humans depend on nature . Even city-dwellers living in modern skyscrapers need air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat, all of which are provided by nature. True, you can buy bottled water and ready-to-eat meals in supermarkets, but they were not produced there. Some fruits and vegetables, for example, only grow in tropical countries and cross the globe in refrigerated ship containers, to arrive just ripe to your local supermarket. All drinking water ultimately comes from a natural source, since we still do not have the technology to manufacture large amounts of water in the laboratory [ 1 ]. The same applies to the air we breathe, which is purified and oxygenated by plants [ 2 ]. So, when we speak about preserving nature, we are really also talking about preserving ourselves.

Whereas nature encompasses the natural environment as a whole, the term biodiversity [ 3 ] is used to refer to all living organisms. Biodiversity is ultimately responsible for the services we receive from nature, which are also called Ecosystem Services [ 4 ] or Nature's Contribution to People [ 5 ]. For example, forests containing many different bee species provide pollination services to nearby crop fields. In places where natural forests have been cut down, beekeepers must bring in artificial beehives to guarantee that enough pollinators visit crop flowers to produce fruit [ 6 ]. Other wild organisms, like wasps and birds, act as pest-control agents for agricultural crops, reducing the population of pests that damage those crops, and resulting in higher crop yields.

You are probably thinking that you already knew about this, and that there is not much you can do to preserve air, water, or fruit trees. But even if you live in a big city, far away from oxygen-producing forests, natural water springs, or crop fields, your daily actions can have a strong impact on these natural resources. Spilling a single drop of cooking oil while cleaning the dishes contaminates a million drops of water. Traveling in a vehicle powered by fossil fuels contributes to air pollution and global climate change [ 7 ]. Buying certain processed food ingredients, like palm oil, can contribute to massive deforestation in the tropics, as farmers clear land to grow these crops for money. All these impacts together make up what is called our ecological footprint on nature [ 8 ], which is a measure to quantify our daily life's impact on nature.

We will now share with you some important practical actions that we can all do to help conserve nature, to preserve our own well-being, and to guarantee that natural resources are available for future generations.

What Actions Can We Take to Help Conserve Nature?

We asked an international group of scientists, working on various environmental issues, to provide ideas on what young people can do to help conserve nature. We obtained nearly 100 responses and then organized all of the ideas by grouping them into three main categories: (1) Actions to reduce our ecological footprint ( Figure 1 ); (2) Actions to conserve nature ( Figure 2 ); and (3) Actions to connect with nature ( Figure 3 ). Below we explain each.

• Figure 1 - Word cloud showing the key actions that can be taken to reduce our ecological footprint.

• Figure 2 - Word cloud showing the key actions that can be taken to conserve nature.

• Figure 3 - Word cloud showing the key actions that can be taken to connect with nature.

Reduce our ecological footprint: Reducing our ecological footprint means placing less demand on nature (read here about the 3Rs—reduce, reuse and recycle; and get some ideas here on how you can help nature). Here are some ways that you can do this:

• Recycle your rubbish and participate in or help organize recycling campaigns.
• Avoid littering and participate in or help organize litter clean-ups ( here you can link to a website for volunteering or starting your own beach clean-up).
• Use less plastic by, for example, carrying a reusable water bottle, saying no to disposable straws and cutlery, avoiding plastic toys, and bringing your own shopping bags (for further ideas on a plastic-free life take a look here ).
• Swap toys, movies, and books instead of buying new ones.
• Donate, recycle, and repair electronic devices (see how here ).
• Use less water when brushing teeth, taking a shower, or washing the dishes.
• Use less electricity by turning off lights and electronic devices when not in use, using energy-saving light bulbs, and hanging clothes to dry.
• Use public transport, share a journey with friends (e.g., car-sharing), cycle, or walk when possible.
• Use less paper by not printing unnecessary things and reading e-books.
• Turn down the air conditioning when it is hot and use fans if you are still hot-they use much less power.
• Turn down the heat when it is cold and use sweaters, blankets, and socks to keep warm.
• Do not waste food and try to buy food that is grown locally and in season.
• Eat more non-meat proteins (like beans), less dairy, more vegetables, and more organic food when possible.
• Buy products that do not cause damage to the environment and that have certified labels (such as Rainforest Alliance and Animal Welfare ).
• Refuse to buy what you do not need, because every item you do not buy reduces the demand for the production of that item. For example, if everyone stopped buying plastic bags, super markets would stop selling them.

Conserve nature: Conserving nature means to protect, preserve and restore biodiversity. Here are some ways that you can do this:

• Try to prevent your pets from killing/harming wildlife (for some specific advice to help your local birds, see this ).
• Do not touch or take home wild animals or plants (see some advice here ).
• Plant native wildflowers, fruit trees, and pollinator-friendly plants in your garden or yard (for some related gardening tips, check out this ).
• Make compost to improve soil quality and to help insects (check out a guide to composting here ).
• Build and place bat houses, bird houses, and “bee hotels” in your garden, school grounds, and local green spaces ( here you can learn how make and manage a Bee hotel).
• Do not buy/keep wild pets at home (such as parrots, song birds, wild cats, or reptiles), in order to avoid supporting illegal trafficking of animals ( here you can find more info about illegal wildlife trade).
• Be aware of wild animals crossing the road and respect their paths ( here is some further information about the importance of wildlife crossings).

Connect with nature: Connecting with nature means setting aside time to interact with the natural environment. Here are some ways that you can do this:

• Play outside and spend more time in nature (read this link to find out why this is so important).
• Organize trips to explore the national parks/nature reserves close to you.
• Join conservation programs or eco-clubs (see how here ).
• Participate in nature-focused citizen science initiatives (learn more about citizen science here and see actual projects you can join here and here ).
• Use books or apps to identify the plants and animals around you (check out a cool app here ).
• Play games to learn more about nature (check out some fun examples here and here ).
• Use websites, blogs or social media to help raise awareness on the importance of conserving nature and share all these ideas).

Understanding the importance of nature and biodiversity for our own well-being can really help us to help nature. In this article, we have provided some practical ideas that we can all try to reduce our ecological footprint, conserve nature, and connect with nature. We encourage you to put these ideas into practice and share these actions with your family and friends.

Nature : ↑ The term that encompasses living organisms and the forces responsible for the physical world, such as the weather, mountains, oceans, and landscapes.

Biodiversity : ↑ The word biodiversity means the variety of all living organisms on Earth, and includes different levels of organization—from genes, species, and communities through to entire ecosystems.

Ecosystem Services : ↑ The many benefits that people get from natural ecosystems. These services can be broken down into provisioning (e.g., food and wood), supporting (e.g., soil formation and nutrient cycling), regulating (e.g., clean air and water purification), and cultural (e.g., recreation and eco-tourism).

Climate Change : ↑ Change in global or regional climate patterns, most due to increased levels of greenhouse gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels. Greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, act like a blanket, trapping heat near the Earth's surface, and raising the temperature.

Ecological Footprint : ↑ This is a measure of how much people take from nature, which is then compared to what natural resources are available to provide for people.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

[1] ↑ Ernst, C., Gullick, R., and Nixon, K. 2004. Conserving forests to protect water. Opflow 30:1–7. doi: 10.1002/j.1551-8701.2004.tb01752.x

[2] ↑ Nowak, D. J., Hirabayashi, S., Bodine, A., and Greenfield, E. 2014. Tree and forest effects on air quality and human health in the United States. Environ. Pollut. 193:119–29. doi: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.05.028

[3] ↑ Carrington, D. 2018. What is Biodiversity and Why Does it Matter to Us? Guard. Available online at: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/12/what-is-biodiversity-and-why-does-it-matter-to-us

[4] ↑ Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well-being: Synthesis . Washington, DC: Island Press. Available online at: http://www.millenniumassessment.org/documents/document.356.aspx.pdf

[5] ↑ Daz, S., Pascual, U., Stenseke, M., Martn-López, B., Watson, R. T., Molnár, Z., et al. 2018. Assessing nature's contributions to people. Science 359:270–2. doi: 10.1126/science.aap8826

[6] ↑ Potts, S. G., Imperatriz-Fonseca, V. L., and Thompson, H. M. (Eds.). 2016. The Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production . Bonn: Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Available online at: https://www.ipbes.net/assessment-reports/pollinators

[7] ↑ Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. Climate Basics for Kids . Available online at: https://www.c2es.org/content/climate-basics-for-kids/ (accessed June, 2019).

[8] ↑ Global Footprint Network. Ecological Footprint . Available online at: https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/ (accessed June, 2019).

Search the site

Links to social media channels

The Sustainable Use of Natural Resources: The Governance Challenge

Still Only One Earth: Lessons from 50 years of UN sustainable development policy

Over-exploitation of natural resources harms the health of ecosystems and the wellbeing of people. In the face of environmental crises and growing inequality, we need to act, including developing extended producer responsibility and supply chain legislation, guaranteeing green public procurement, supporting technical innovation to enhance resource circularity, and adopting decision-making processes that include and respect women, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities. ( Download PDF ) ( See all policy briefs ) ( Subscribe to ENB )

Natural resources are central to human wellbeing. We cannot live without the clean air we breathe, the plants we eat, or the water we drink. We need natural resources to put roofs over our heads and heat our homes. We need them to survive and to thrive.

The concept of natural resources refers to naturally occurring living and non-living elements of the Earth system, including plants, fish, and fungi, but also water, soil, and minerals. A prominent way to think about natural resources is to look at them in terms of depletion risk: do they regenerate, and, if so, at what pace? Some resources, such as trees and plants, are renewable because they regenerate relatively quickly. Others, such as copper and oil, take much longer to form and are considered non-renewable. Together, natural resources make up a dense web of interdependence, forming ecosystems that also include humans. As such, the distribution of resources shapes the face of our planet and the local distinctiveness of our environments. People have formed different types of cultural, spiritual, and subsistence-based relationships with the natural environment, adopting value-systems that go beyond economic framings.

Nature makes human development possible but our relentless demand for the earth’s resources is accelerating extinction rates and devastating the world’s ecosystems. Joyce Msuya , Deputy Executive Director, United Nations Environment Programme

The use of natural resources has long been considered an element of both human rights and economic development, leading the United Nations, amid its work on advancing decolonization in the 1960s, to declare that “[t]he right of peoples and nations to permanent sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources must be exercised in the interest of their national development and of the well-being of the people of the State concerned” ( UN General Assembly Resolution 1803 (XVII) ).

Natural resources are often viewed as key assets driving development and wealth creation. Over time and with progressive industrialization, resource use increased. In some cases, exploitation levels came to exceed resources’ natural regeneration rates. Such overexploitation ultimately threatens the livelihoods and wellbeing of people who depend on these resources, and jeopardizes the health of ecosystems. This risk of resource depletion, notably manifesting in the form of fishery collapses, demonstrates the need to regulate natural resource use to better preserve resources and their ecosystems. The very first UN conference on environmental issues, the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm, Sweden, adopted fundamental principles in this regard.

Stockholm Declaration

• Principle 2: “The natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management, as appropriate.”
• Principle 3: “The capacity of the earth to produce vital renewable resources must be maintained and, wherever practicable, restored or improved.”
• Principle 5: “The non-renewable resources of the earth must be employed in such a way as to guard against the danger of their future exhaustion and to ensure that benefits from such employment are shared by all mankind.”

The Stockholm Declaration not only addressed resource depletion, but also benefit sharing: the objective to ensure that natural resource use not only benefits the few, but the many, both within and across countries. It also speaks to the principle of inter-generational equity: ensuring that today’s resource use does not compromise the availability of natural resources for future generations. In fact, natural resource use relates to all three dimensions of sustainability: social justice, environmental health, and economic development. The sustainable use of natural resources strives for balance between these dimensions: maintaining the long-term use of resources while maximizing social benefits and minimizing environmental impacts.

Natural Resource Use Has More than Tripled since 1970

Although the 1972 Stockholm Declaration laid out the fundamental principles for sustainable resource governance, the state of play half a century later is sobering. The International Resource Panel (IRP), launched by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), found that the global average of material demand per capita grew from 7.4 tons in 1970 to 12.2 tons in 2017, with significant adverse impacts on the environment, notably increased greenhouse gas emissions.

The IRP also showed that “the use of natural resources and the related benefits and environmental impacts are unevenly distributed across countries and regions” (IRP, 2019, p. 27). For one, the per capita material footprint in high-income countries is thirteen times more than in low-income countries: 27 tons and 2 tons per capita, respectively. As WWF notes , “If everyone lived like an average resident of the USA, a total of four Earths would be required to regenerate humanity’s annual demand on nature.” What’s more, since they generally rely on resource extraction in other countries, high income countries outsource part of the environmental and social impacts of their consumption. At the same time, the IRP has reported that “the value created through these traded materials in the countries of origin is relatively low” (IRP, 2019, p. 65). This imbalance highlights the global discrepancies in the distribution of benefits and negative impacts stemming from resource use, with countries “rich” in valuable resources not always benefitting from their extraction, distribution, and use, yet suffering the most environmental harm.

Human actions threaten more species with global extinction now than ever before. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services 2019 Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services

Fostering Sustainable Resource Governance

A vast array of norms, institutions, and actors influence decisions on natural resources, which is why we speak of natural resource governance. A plethora of national legislation, intergovernmental agreements, regional organizations, certification mechanisms, corporate codes of conduct, and multi-stakeholder partnerships create a complex web of rules affecting how natural resources are used and benefits thereof are distributed.

Since Stockholm, numerous multilateral agreements have developed a range of operational guidelines, targets, and standards. Some intergovernmental frameworks, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are broad in focus, while others are resource-specific ( Minamata Convention on Mercury ) or relate to a specific geographical area ( Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources ). Industry initiatives and multi-stakeholder partnerships often focus on specific resources or sectors. Examples of such initiatives include the Forest Stewardship Council , the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil , the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative , and the Better Cotton Initiative .

Citizens also have agency over natural resource use: through the representatives we elect to government, our activist engagement, and our consumption and transport choices. For instance, carefully considering food production cycles—what we eat, where and how it is grown, and how it arrives on our plate—can go towards addressing the impact that agricultural expansion has on forests, wetlands, and grassland ecosystems (FAO, 2018; IPBES, 2019). However, this needs to be coupled with systemic change across governance structures.

These mechanisms and institutions are not always complementary; in fact, at times they stand in conflict with one another. Consider, for instance, an energy corporation invoking the Energy Charter Treaty to file arbitration claims against a country’s decision to phase-out coal—a decision taken in accordance with its obligations under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change .

Balancing Rights and Interests over Natural Resources

Determining how people can—and should— access, benefit from, participate in decision-making on, and have responsibility over natural resources has been shaped by concepts such as property and rights . 

On the one hand, property rights divide lands and territories into: private property, where rights are held by individuals or companies; common property, where rights are shared by a community; public property, where rights are held by government; and open access areas, where no specific rights are assigned (Aggrawal & Elbow, 2006). Property rights are closely tied to rights over natural resources, which include the right to use a resource, such as hunting in a forest; or management rights that grant authority to decide on use, for example imposing seasonal hunting restrictions. In terms of governance, different types of ownership and access rights can be held simultaneously by several actors: a wetland can be owned by the state, managed by a local council, and used as fishing grounds by communities. 

The notion of tenure security indicates that an individual’s rights over natural resources and specific lands are recognized and enforceable. These rights are key to avoiding conflict and fostering social security as well as long-term sustainable resource use.

On the other hand, there are individual and collective rights regarding quality of life. The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas ( UNDROP ), for example, stipulates that “[p]easants and other people working in rural areas have the right to have access to and to use in a sustainable manner the natural resources present in their communities that are required to enjoy adequate living conditions” and that they “have the right to participate in the management of these resources” (Article 5). UNDROP highlights the importance of small-scale sustainable practices, and the need to strengthen the protection and recognition of groups who have experienced historical marginalization and violent conflict over resource use. 

Similarly, the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples ( UNDRIP ) and International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 169 ( ILO 169 ) protect the individual and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples. UNDRIP Article 8(2b) stipulates that states shall prevent and provide redress for “any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources.” Both texts also speak to the importance of ensuring the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of Indigenous Peoples in relation to the use of their lands, with UNDRIP Articles 11(2) and 28 underscoring Indigenous Peoples’ right to redress for past FPIC infringements.

There is also the right to a healthy environment, enshrined in regional treaties, including procedural rights on access to information and decision-making processes, as well as the right to clean air, a safe climate, healthy food, safe water, a safe environment for work and play, and healthy ecosystems (UN Human Rights Council, 2019). Ultimately, the effectiveness of these advances in international law depends upon national governments’ readiness to implement them. To date, only 23 countries have ratified ILO 169, and many countries around the world have yet to adopt appropriate legislation to protect the rights enshrined in UNDRIP. To do so, and to protect associated rights under UNDROP and the right to a healthy environment, governments must adopt robust reforms across national policies, laws, programmes, and institutions that prompt shifts in country priorities and ensure the mainstreaming of environmental and social concerns across sectors, focusing especially on empowering marginalized groups. To ensure that decisions across society better address ecological and social wellbeing, prominent actors, including the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Environment, are calling for human rights-based approaches to natural resource governance.

Overall, this constitutes a complex architecture, one that is dynamic in nature, often builds on customary practices, and requires balancing “competing” rights and interests through law and policy. Structures are seldom straightforward: there are often overlapping or even conflicting systems in place, and this influences the sustainability of resource governance.

States play a central role in balancing rights and interests. Regulations addressing the extractive sector determine how a corporation’s exclusive user rights may impact the general population’s right to a safe and healthy environment. Approaches to this balancing act, and the distribution, recognition, and safeguarding of rights, and the implementation of associated responsibilities, vary across states and change over time.

At times, this balance of interests favors more powerful actors. Stemming from historical legacies and trajectories in decision-making, structural inequalities exist across resource access, ownership, and tenure security (Oxfam, 2014). These issues disproportionately impact women , rural communities, and Indigenous Peoples, who are often cast as passive recipients to policy change, as opposed to rights holders and key actors in the sustainable management of natural resources. 

Women have faced historical exclusion from decision-making processes related to land and resources (UN Women, 2020). Due to enduring patriarchal gender norms across the world, they hold less control than men over the lands and resources they traditionally use and rely on for their livelihoods and wellbeing. Based on an analysis of 180 countries, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found that out of the 164 countries that explicitly recognize women’s rights to own, use, and make decisions regarding land on par with men, only 52 countries guarantee these rights in both law and practice (OECD, 2019). As such, it is important that states ensure that women’s rights over natural resources are realized and protected through appropriate mechanisms. 

Indigenous Peoples also struggle to have their rights recognized. For instance, in Finland, Sweden, and Canada, legal disputes have arisen over the challenge of balancing between states’ sovereign right to govern and exploit natural resources, and Indigenous Peoples’ rights to self-determination over traditional territories and customary resource use. Globally, conflicts have also emerged over specific policy approaches, such as conservation methods relying on models of strictly protected areas, or the expansion of large infrastructure, such as the installation of hydraulic dams, which contribute to the displacement of Indigenous and rural peoples. 

The expansion of international investment treaties further aggravates existing power differentials. In fostering the commercialization and privatization of land and resources, and by often prioritizing investors’ rights and interests over those held by local peoples, they risk restricting public-interest policies and undermine the public’s access to remedial action (Cotula, 2015, 2016).

The Need for Inclusive Governance 

Activists and practitioners working to safeguard rights linked to natural resources and secure tenure have been lobbying for strengthened empowerment and participation of local groups, arguing that this fosters more sustainable and equitable resource governance. Alliances between women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and local community groups have emerged, connecting local-to-global efforts, and bringing international attention to injustices. This includes grassroots alliances such as La Vía Campesina , which has lobbied to protect farmers’ and peasants’ rights since the 1990s and was instrumental in the creation and adoption of UNDROP. 

Inclusive decision making is key for sustainable resource governance. Just as gender norms have influenced structures for access and use, they have also shaped our behaviors and the knowledge we acquire, with women holding unique agroecological expertise linked to crop resilience and nutrition (UN Women, 2018). So, unless decision-making processes are gender-responsive and inclusive, they risk overlooking women’s specific needs and roles, and will fail to ensure the inclusion of ecological knowledge important for enabling sustainable practices. 

The same can be said for including Indigenous Peoples and local communities in resource governance. The second edition of the CBD’s Local Biodiversity Outlooks illustrates their significant contributions to the safeguarding and sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity. Important benefits come with inclusive and community-led governance structures and decision-making processes, which, in addition to protecting and enabling sustainable use of resources, can strengthen community support systems and local economies, as well as revitalize Indigenous and local knowledges and languages.

The Need for Transformative Change

Despite efforts since the 1970s, current trends in natural resource use are unsustainable, with potentially devastating results. The 2019 IPBES Global Assessment Report underscored that transformative change is necessary to protect the resources upon which human life and wellbeing depends. The Report also acknowledges that, by its very nature, transformative change is often opposed by those with interests vested in the status quo. Civil society actors therefore underscore the importance for governments to address vested interests and foster inclusive decision making, along with a re-balancing of priorities with regards to rights and interests in order to ensure ecological integrity and social justice (Allan, et.al., 2019). The Local Biodiversity Outlooks mentioned earlier offer important examples of bottom-up approaches to resource governance that can foster sustainability while also addressing historical inequalities.

Bearing in mind global and local inequalities in the distribution of resource use and benefits, achieving transformative change requires bold governmental action, both domestically and in international fora. We need fundamental shifts in production and consumptions patterns, careful attention to value and supply chains, and the fostering of circular resource use and circular economies. Resource circularity breaks with the linear model of “extract-use-discard” towards a “waste-as-a-resource” model that fosters a reduced need for resource extraction, as well as encourages increased reuse, repair and recycling. These objectives are already enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development , with governments aiming to achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources by 2030 . While implementation has been too slow (IPBES, 2019), there is increased attention to fostering resource circularity, hand in hand with efforts to promote secure labor standards and reduce environmental impacts of resource exploitation. Most notable in this regard are legislative initiatives that increase producers’ responsibility for the impacts of their products throughout their lifecycle. Placing responsibility for post-use disposal on manufacturers significantly increases the material recovery rate and incentivizes less wasteful product design (OECD, 2016).

To better balance the three dimensions of sustainable resources governance—social justice, environmental health, and economic development—we must rethink our economic, social, political, and technological systems that currently enable damaging production practices and wasteful resource consumption. Other ways of living are possible, from the ways we structure our societies and economies, the relationships we form with each other and with our ecosystems, to ensuring that the priorities of our leaders align with the interests of the many rather than the few. To realize these shifts, governments should develop extended producer responsibilities and supply chain legislation to enhance fairer distribution of benefits and harms stemming from resource use and promote the protection of human rights in ways that ensure ecological wellbeing and social justice. 

Decision making must be inclusive and account for the needs, rights, and knowledges of historically marginalized communities and groups. Governance structures must recognize and support pre-existing sustainable practices at local and regional levels, as well as nourish the emergence of more sustainable patterns of resource use and management. This will require strengthening tenure rights and re-distributing power across all stages of decision-making. 

Works Consulted

Aggarwal, S. & Elbow, K. (2016). The role of property rights in natural resource management, good governance and empowerment of the rural poor. USAID. https://www.land-links.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/USAID_Land_Tenure_Property_Rights_and_NRM_Report.pdf

Allan, J.I., Antonich, B., Bansard, J.S., Luomi, M., & Soubry, B. (2019). Summary of the Chile/Madrid Climate Change Conference: 2-15 December 2019. Earth Negotiations Bulletin , 12(775). https://enb.iisd.org/download/pdf/enb12775e.pdf

Cotula, L. (2015). Land rights and investment treaties. IIED. https://pubs.iied.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/migrate/12578IIED.pdf

Cotula, L. (2016). Rethinking investment treaties to advance human rights. IIED Briefing. https://pubs.iied.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/migrate/17376IIED.pdf

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2018). Sustainable food systems: Concept and framework. http://www.fao.org/3/ca2079en/CA2079EN.pdf

Forest Peoples Programme, International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity, Indigenous Women’s Biodiversity Network, Centres of Distinction on Indigenous and Local Knowledge, & Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. (2020). Local biodiversity outlooks 2 . https://www.cbd.int/gbo/gbo5/publication/lbo-2-en.pdf

Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. (2019). Global assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services. https://www.ipbes.net/global-assessment

International Resource Panel. (2019). Global resources outlook 2019: Natural resources for the future we want. UN Environment Programme. https://www.resourcepanel.org/reports/global-resources-outlook

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2016). Extended producer responsibility: Updated guidance for efficient waste management. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264256385-en

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2019). Social institutions and gender index 2019 global report: Transforming challenges into opportunities. https://doi.org/10.1787/bc56d212-en

Oxfam. (2014). Even it up: Time to end extreme inequality. https://www-cdn.oxfam.org/s3fs-public/file_attachments/cr-even-it-up-extreme-inequality-291014-en.pdf

UN Human Rights Council. (2019). Report by the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment. A/HRC/43/53. https://undocs.org/A/HRC/43/53

UN Women (2018). Towards a gender-responsive implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2018/11/towards-a-gender-responsive-implementation-of-the-convention-on-biological-diversity

UN Women (2020). Realizing women’s rights to land and other productive resources. 2nd ed. https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2020/10/realizing-womens-rights-to-land-and-other-productive-resources-2nd-edition  

Additional downloads

Government of Canada, Global Affairs Canada

Government of Norway, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Government of Sweden, Ministry of Environment

Deep dive details, you might also be interested in, how to regulate our waste-full world.

Going forward, the legitimacy of global governance of hazardous wastes may rest on its ability to enable governments protect the most vulnerable.

July 26, 2021

Senegal's Big LNG Gamble

This report explores Senegal's nascent liquefied nitrogen gas (LNG) industry by assessing the impacts associated with a new fossil fuel-based industry on the country's environment, economy, and society. It does this by responding to three questions: What have been the impacts of the development of LNG on Senegal to date? Is it viable for Senegal to invest further into an industry that is projected to decline? What risks can Senegal expect should it forge ahead with its LNG development plans?

September 18, 2024

Securing India's Copper Supply

This policy brief emphasizes the need for India to develop a comprehensive copper strategy.

July 2, 2024

Pathways to Sustainable Cities

Urban planning needs to be inclusive and responsive to the needs of local communities and build on participatory approaches that foster the engagement of marginalized actors.

April 28, 2022

7 Ways In Which Youth Can Protect The Environment

Our planet is our home, the place that sustains us; but are we living in harmony with nature? It seems like we humans have embraced a path of self-destruction, destroying the very home that shelters us. From rising carbon emissions, to deforestation and land degradation, anthropogenic activities are having detrimental effects on our ecosystems and environmental biodiversity. Not many are aware that the United Nations General Assembly had declared the period of 2011-2020, as the “Decade for Biodiversity”. We are in the final period of this crucial decade, and despite several strategic plans and initiatives to mobilize people at different levels, we are miles behind in achieving the stipulated targets. The negative trends in biodiversity and ecosystems conservation, indicate that we need to do a lot more.  

As teenagers, sometimes we feel helpless and powerless, unable to take action, or do things that really matter to us, since governments and large corporations are the ones taking vital decisions. While major changes are only possible if countries and corporations alter their policies and actions, we as individuals also have the potential to make a difference, whether through small actions, or larger initiatives. Let’s not forget that consumers dictate markets, and they can significantly impact the way goods are produced and traded if they decide to change their consumption habits.

Here are some ways in which you can take control of your future, and protect our environment and ecosystems:

1. Start Your Own Initiative or Volunteer With Environmental Organizations

Whether it’s something small like starting a community clean-up group, or building a large social organization with significant reach and impact, taking initiatives for environmental conservation can go a long way. There are many successful youth-led environmental organizations and NGO’s across the globe, that are leading by example today. However, if you’re not up to it, you can also make an impact on the environment by getting involved with local non-profits and assisting the environmental community groups. There are several ways in which you can get involved, from running online awareness campaigns, to offering practical help like beach clean-ups, and fundraising events.

2. Reduce/Recycle Paper

What do you do with your old textbooks and novels that are not in use? Why not donate them to juniors, or kids in your neighborhood, or send them across to countries where children have little to no access to educational resources. While books aren’t doing any harm sitting on a bookshelf, why not save resources by putting them to reuse?

Similarly recycling unwanted paper will reduce the raw material demand for paper production,  thus conserving trees and forest ecosystems. From online assignments, to writing e-exams, thanks to the advent of technology, paper isn’t something that is necessary anymore. By making use of smart technologies that are available today, we can effortlessly shift away from paper-based activities, at all levels.

3. Recycle More Often

Recycling is a simple, yet effective way of conserving resources and reducing your individual carbon footprint. Rather than throwing everything in the trash, separate your plastic, paper, and metal waste, and deposit it in a recycling bin. Recycling helps reduce landfill pollution, raw materials and fossil fuel consumption, and generates a circular economy.

4. Save Resources

Did you know that only 0.03% of the 70% of water available to us is freshwater? That’s why, saving water is so important for freshwater ecosystems. By doing simple things like taking shorter showers, avoiding small clothes washes, and turning your taps off while brushing, you can save gallons of water! Similarly, it’s important to be mindful of your electricity consumption, and make adaptations so that you can reduce the demand for energy production and thereby preserve fossil fuel resources. While public and private entities plan the transition to sustainable alternatives, by doing our bit at homes and offices, we can reduce fossil fuel dependency.

5. Buy Sustainable Products

Plastic is one of the most significant contributors to soil and marine pollution, endangering both the land and marine life. Plastic isn’t biodegradable, and is often consumed by animals who mistake it as food. When buying a product, be aware of its environmental impact and disposal after use. Companies are now being questioned on their ecological footprint, and changing consumer habits are compelling them to  become more sustainable. There are several sustainable brands available today, and it is easier to find out about the products origin, materials and recyclability. When you’re stocking up on school or office supplies like folders and pens, or buying toys and home accessories, try to look for more eco-friendly alternatives that can replace plastic. For example, some of us use so much plastic from buying bottled water every day, when buying your own reusable water bottle is not only cheaper, but also much better for the environment.

Also, buying local products and produce is a great way to minimize carbon footprint, as goods don’t have to travel longer distances and consume more fuel for transportation. Do some research and find out about the local eco-stores and farms in your area. Supporting small businesses is also great for the local economy because you’re sustaining the economic activity and job creation in your area.

6. Decrease Meat & Dairy Consumption

Methane is one of the most potent greenhouse gases that contributes to global warming. With increasing demand for meat, the number of live-stock farms has gone up significantly over the last few decades. As livestock release large amounts of methane into the atmosphere, excessive meat and dairy consumption has detrimental effects on our climate. Additionally, unsustainable dairy and cattle farming leads to the destruction of ecologically important areas such as wetlands and forests. Deforestation required to house animals like cows and chickens are damaging habitats and natural ecosystems, where hundreds of species depend on each other for survival. Thus, the only way we can prevent more damage is by being responsible, and eating less meat and dairy products.

7. Only Buy What You Need

Lastly, think about your purchasing habits. Do you buy too many products? Can you do without some of the things that you often buy? Are you being a responsible consumer? Simply buying more because of tempting offers or discounts will actually cost us and the environment more. Whether its groceries, clothes, accessories or home products, by purchasing only what you need, you reduce the amount of waste generated, and thus pollution. As natural resources are limited, our excessive consumption can be counter-productive, and undermine our planet's biodiversity.

View the discussion thread.

Related Stories

Guarding Our Communities: The Imperative of Immunization

Let Us Keep It Clean!

MISS-UNDERSTOOD

Words for my fellow human beings

C 2019 Voices of Youth. All Rights Reserved. 

• About Project
• Testimonials

Business Management Ideas

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources

List of essays on depletion of natural resources, essay on depletion of natural resources – 10 lines on the depletion of natural resources written in english (essay 1 – 150 words), essay on depletion of natural resources – short essay for children (essay 2 – 250 words), essay on depletion of natural resources – causes and prevention (essay 3 – 300 words), essay on depletion of natural resources – for school students (class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 standard) (essay 4 – 400 words), essay on depletion of natural resources (essay 5 – 500 words), essay on depletion of natural resources – causes and conservation (essay 6 – 600 words), essay on depletion of natural resources – for college and university students (essay 7 – 750 words).

• Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – Long Essay for Competitive Exams like IAS, IPS, UPSC and Civil Services (Essay 8 – 1000 Words)

Audience: The below given essays are exclusively written for school students (Class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 Standard) and college students. Furthermore, those students preparing for competitive exams like IAS, IPS and UPSC can also increase their knowledge by studying these essays.

Depletion of natural resources will eventually lead to a world with lesser elements to survive and makes human life a hardship. Natural resources are the ones that maintain equilibrium in the environment and life.

Natural resources like air, water, solar energy, soil, minerals, coal, etc., are those basic elements that we, living beings, use to lead a normal life. Depletion of natural resources will completely stun the day to day life of a human being as well as fellow living things.

The depletion of natural resources occurs when we vigorously use the available ones at a rapid speed. Some of these non-renewable resources like coal, minerals, etc., take millions of years to form and thus their rapid use will result in depletion of these natural resources. Unsustainable use of these natural resources due to the demand and increase in population has also resulted in depletion of natural resources.

Switching to the renewable sources is one of the many ways to save natural resources from depletion. In order to save this depletion of natural resources, we humans should find out and execute more sustainable and nonpolluting ways to use these natural resources.

Introduction:

Natural resources are provided by Mother Nature to enable the survival of living things and the sustenance of the ecosystem. Depletion of natural resources is the increased consumption of resources that overlaps the replenishment of those resources. The depletion of natural resources occurs due to significant increase in the dependents of the natural resources without an increase in the sources of resources. It can be a devastating problem to the ecosystem because the resources necessary for survival and depletion will cause significant loss of living things

Causes of Depletion of Natural Resources:

Increased population of species that are dependent on the same natural resources cause faster consumption of those resources and results in depletion. The other cause is unnecessary consumption of resources and wastefulness.

Environmental pollution also causes depletion of natural resources through contamination. When natural resources are contaminated, they will be no longer fit for consumption. Deforestation is a major cause of depletion of natural resources. Deforestation results in loss of habitat, food and destruction of the ecosystem. Drought is brought about by deforestation. Drought is an extreme of depletion of water in the environment.

Consequences of Depletion of Natural Resources:

There will be a loss of biodiversity due to death and extinction of living organisms. Natural disasters like drought will also occur upon depletion of natural resources.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the depletion of natural resources is a serious concern because of the adverse effects it has on the ecosystem. Controlled consumption of resources is to be encouraged.

Depletion of natural resources is undoubtedly the product of massive urbanization and industrialization. It occurs due to the continuous, extensive, and irresponsible use by humans disregarding future consequences.

What are the causes of depletion of natural resources?

1. As the earth population exceeds 7 billion, the overpopulation is one of the significant reasons for depletion of natural resources.

2. Wastage and overconsumption tend to contribute to the reasons why natural resources will exhaust in the future.

3. Deforestation leads to the destruction of the earth’s ecosystem, one of the critical reasons for the depletion of natural resources.

4. Mining of minerals and oils also account for resource depletion.

5. Erosion, pollution, and contamination of resources sum up why natural resources will be scarce shortly.

What are the natural resources that might get depleted in the future?

The following natural resources might get a hit and will get exhausted in the near future if we continue to exploit it without any consideration for the future generation and existence of the planet earth.

Water, the essential natural resources will be at stake after 2025, as scientists apprehend that almost 1.8 billion people will have no water to drink. Although the earth’s crust is covered with 70% water, only 2.5 % is drinkable as it comes from the ice-capped mountains and streams while the rest are saline water containing wastes.

Although it’s one of the most important natural resources we have, scientists predict that the available coal deposit will be able to meet the world’s requirement for just another 188 years. With that said, if the demand increases, this timeframe will squeeze.

The present hydrocarbon content of the world, 188 million tonnes is enough to meet the demand but only up to the next 46 years. When the stock finishes, transportation will be hampered.

4. Natural Gas:

The reserve of natural gas will serve till the next 58.6 years which is not enough to meet the world’s demand.

5. Seafood:

Fishermen report that the catch they depend upon for their living is gradually decreasing. If not cultured naturally, some stock of seafood will actually diminish soon.

How to prevent the depletion of natural resources?

Well, the answer is embracing a nature-friendly lifestyle and shifting to renewable and sustainable energy resources like solar power, wind, and hydropower, we can at least slow down the depletion of natural resources.

Depletion of natural resources can be described as a situation where natural resources are consumed faster than they can be replaced or replenished. Natural resources are not always available in infinite quantity. Though they are replaceable, this process takes a long time.

For instance, it takes hundreds of years to replace crude oil reserves. It also takes many years to grow a tree into maturity. The important question now becomes – are we consuming these resources at the same rate at which we use them? The answer to that is definitely negative.

Though natural resources can be renewable and nonrenewable, depletion of natural resources affects both.

The causes of depletion of natural resources could sometimes be man-made and in other cases, unavoidable. We would, however, concern ourselves with only the man-made causes of natural resources depletion.

The following are some of the apparent causes of depletion of natural resources:

1. Overpopulation:

This is a situation whereby the number of people living in a place falls below the number of resources available in that community. The implication is that natural resources get consumed faster than they can be produced.

2. Deforestation:

One might be quick to assume that deforestation only affects trees. This is however far from the truth. Deforestation reduces animal life expectancy and more importantly, it destroys our ecosystem thereby affecting other natural resources.

3. Pollution:

Pollution of various kinds damages natural resources making it difficult for the resources to be produced in good condition. For instance, soil pollution affects plant life making it difficult for trees to grow.

Though we extract natural resources from the ground through mining for human consumption. Every time we get something from the ground, we hasten up the depletion process.

Prevention of Depletion of Natural Resources

Below are some of the efforts that can help curb the excesses of natural resources depletion.

1. Protecting The Trees – This involves several coordinated efforts aimed at reducing the number of tree cutting. It includes sensitizing the populace about the dangers of tree cutting and encouraging them to plant more trees.

2. Recycle – Recycling reduces waste and also reduces the number of toxic materials in our land water and air. Less toxicity leads to less depletion.

3. Reduce the consumption of fossil fuel products.

Depletion of natural resources affects everyone. The food we eat, the water we drink, the fuel we consume all comes from the natural resources. If we lose these resources life becomes difficult for everyone. So we need to be cautious and promote sustainable use of natural resources.

In ancient times, people used energy only for daily activities, such as lighting, guarding, and cooking. But as the development took place, in terms of industrial revolution and urbanization, animals were domesticated for household and farming activities and later as the industrial revolution took place, humans used a lot of power drawn from the natural resources. Initially, it was thought that the natural resources are found generally in abundance but of late, it is found that the availability of natural resources are depleting in quantity and can’t be replenished quickly. This is precisely the depletion of natural resources.

Depletion of Natural Resources:

Earth has two types of natural resources, those that can be replenished despite continuous usage like sunlight, tidal energy, etc. These are renewable resources of energy and those that can’t be replenished are called non – renewable resources. Explosive growth in the human population had led to population overconsumption. Humans’ activities have harmed the nature to that extent that now nature cannot replenish the resources at the rate of the resources being consumed. This leads to the depletion of natural resources.

The major causes of depletion of natural resources are:

1. Population explosion – The increased growth of population demand supply of energy and resources for their survival. The demand for energy supply is taken care of by the natural resources and the technologies invented to harness the natural resources’ benefits. To quench the demand, natural resources are depleted.

2. Environmental pollution – Extensive activities on earth by humans have caused polluted environment. The production of uncountable pollutants by us not only makes the environment hazardous, but also the pollution of various natural resources like air, water, soil, and land, thereby leading to the depletion of natural resources available in the environment.

3. Deforestation – The forest is a rich habitat and the powerhouse of the earth’s ecosystem. The industrial revolution and urbanization by clearing the forested areas deplete the biological resources of the earth.

4. Population over consumption – The demand of resources for a population becomes higher than it actually requires. This is because the human population uses resources and energy as a desired demand commodity to live a very sophisticated life.

5. Natural calamities –Calamities like Tsunami, storms, earthquake deplete a whole lot of natural resources. Fortunately or unfortunately, this is the only cause that humans have no control on, to save the resources from depletion.

6. Climatic change – Global warming is a phenomenon that the environmentalists are talking about. Global warming brings about changes in the climatic cycle which can’t be tolerated by the biological species in the environment. This alters the survivability of various species and leads to extinction of many threatened or near-threatened species.

Prevention of Depletion of Natural Resources:

It has become evidently clear that we are facing a threat in terms of natural resources. With the current higher rate of depletion of the natural resources, it is feared that in a few years, we may not have resources to be utilized for our survival. We must know that nature has its own balancing concept. But as we have been continuously abusing nature, a serious imbalance is in effect.

We must be responsible to take up the arduous task of conserving the natural resources. Planting trees, minimizing energy wastage, conserving water and avoiding the wastage of water, conserving electricity at home and workplace, use of alternative and cleaner energy, replacement of the extraneous energy using equipment with eco–friendly and efficient energy conserving gadgets and equipment, are few steps that we can start doing at local levels to prevent and conserve the natural resources from depletion.

As we understand that the depletion of natural resources is a very serious concern in terms of human survival and environmental sustainability, it’s high time that we take necessary steps to avoid the natural resources from depletion.

Natural Resources:

Depletion of natural resources is the cause of serious concern for the world. Natural resources, as the name suggests, are the materials and sources of energy which are found naturally on earth. There are two major types of natural resources.

The first one is known as the non-renewable or conventional sources of energy. Depletion of natural resources is applicable to this category. Examples are coal, oil, petroleum, minerals, etc. Whereas the second type of natural resources is renewable or nonconventional. The depletion of natural resources in this category is not possible. These include solar energy, wind, energy, hydro power, etc. Both have their own benefits but since the beginning, an excessive dependency and consumption of the non-renewable resources have led to the depletion of natural resources.

Our earth takes years to produce fossil fuels such as coals, oils, petroleum etc. But the exhaustion has happened at a rapid rate. As a result of this depletion of natural resources, we are now falling short of these reserves of energy.

Depletion of natural resources has befallen us for a number of reasons. And when we talk about the depletion of natural resources, it also includes the shrinking of forest areas and vegetation. The biggest cause of depletion of natural resources is industrialization.

Lots of trees are cut to make space for setting up the industries. Industries also consume a lot of coals, oils, and other fossil fuels, adding further to the depletion of natural resources. The humongous growth of human population has direct and indirect roles in the depletion of natural resources.

Large portions of land are required to build houses and other amenities for the people. And to feel the population, farmers often end up clearing the forests for growing crops there. This replacement of vegetation with crop fields is another cause of depletion of natural resources.

Implications of Depletion of Natural Resources:

Deforestation alone means various kinds of depletion of natural resources. For instance, soil erosion is a consequence of it, causing floods, drought, and landslides. Shrinking greenery poses a threat to the wildlife and leads to their extinction.

Depletion of natural resources expands to oceans and seas also. Drilling of ocean beds for oils and other fossil fuels interferes with the functioning of marine life. Moreover, excessive use of coals, petroleum, and mineral oils, has created enormous pollution over the years.

The pollution touches its peak by making a hole in the protective ozone layer of the earth. The depletion of natural resources is an indication that we have badly exhausted and exploited the earth’s surface and stripped of its valuable stores.

Conservation of Natural Resources:

The severe depletion of natural resources has brought to us a point where it has become necessary for us to come up with some long-term and effective measures to nourish back our planet. Shifting to the consumption of renewable and green sources of energy is one such step.

By controlling the pollution and putting a check on our reckless and toxic ways of life would significantly curb further depletion of natural resources. Every one of us should plant trees and make the earth healthier.

Some simple measures can have a huge impact on the current situation of mother earth. By reducing the wastage, reusing the day to day things, and recycling the biodegradable materials, we can save our planet from dying.

Human beings are dependent on nature, but nature is not dependent on humankind. It is the right time to pay back to nature what we have harnessed from it for millions of years.

Depletion of natural resources has long been a concern for people as well as the governments all over the world. Natural resources are vital for our survival. However, there has been a steady decline in the availability of natural resources for human use over the last decade.

There are many causes which have led to the depletion in natural resources. First and foremost is the increase in human population. With an ever-increasing population, the demand for natural resources has also increased substantially. This has led to excess usage of natural resources than the speed at which they are replenished in nature.

Mining is another human activity which has led to depletion of natural resources. We have been suing mining techniques to extract various metals, fossil fuels and other minerals from the earth. But, we have been indifferent of the thought as to how much should we extract in a given period. With hardly any monitoring in place by the government, illegal mining has been on the rise. This has led to over-extraction of the natural resources, thereby depleting them. Although laws are in place to catch and punish the offenders, the execution of the same is still a challenge for the government.

Another important factor which has led to the depletion of natural resources is the increase in pollution levels in air, water and land. The waters of the rivers are so polluted now that they cannot be used for various purposes such as drinking and bathing. So, although the resource is available, we are not in a position to use it for our own use. Additionally, pollution levels in water, air and land have made it difficult for the survival of others species as well which are important to maintain balance in the ecosystem.

The effects of depletion of natural resources are all but harmful for the life on the earth. Depletion of natural resources has altered the ecosystem of the earth. Change of climatic conditions has been noticed over the last decade. Many species have become extinct because they were not able to adapt themselves to the changing environment.

Additionally, it has also led to global warming. There has been a constant increase in the average temperature of the earth. This, in turn, poses a threat to the coastal regions of the world as the water levels have been rising up steadily.

Due to change in climatic conditions, there have been altered patterns of rains in different regions affecting the yield of crops. This has led to price rise as the demand is more than what is being produced in the fields. Also, India is a country where half of the population is dependent on agriculture. Damage of crops has affected the farmers and there has been an increase in farmer suicides as well.

Remedies Available:

There are plenty of natural resources available to us. We put them to use as per our own requirements. For instance, we use fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum to generate electricity, drive vehicles; we use water to rotate turbines in a hydropower station. Similarly, we use sunlight as well to some extent to trap and the solar energy and generate electricity. Depletion of natural resources is actually a concern only for the resources which cannot be replenished easily, for example, coal and petroleum.

On the other hand, resources such as wind and sunlight are available in plenty and shall not be exhausted no matter how much we use them. This is the key to our remedy to minimise the depletion of natural resources. We should switch over to the resources which can easily be replenished. On the other hand, we should minimise the use of fossil fuels.

It is true that there would be no life on earth if we do have the natural resources available to us. However, at the same time, it is also true that it is we who have to ensure that we utilise the resources carefully. Depletion of natural resources is surely an environmental concern that we all should be serious about. There was a time when we switched from cleaner to fossil fuels. Now is the time perhaps to go back in history and rewind our life.

We should think of the solutions available to us such switching to cleaner resources which can easily be replenished in nature. Moreover, the use of resources such as fossil fuels which are on the verge of extinction should be minimised. But, execution of the same is not an easy task. Only a collective effort of people, as well as governments all over the world, can perhaps save the earth and reduce the depletion of natural resources.

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources – Long Essay for Competitive Exams like IAS, IPS, UPSC and Civil Services (Essay 8 – 100 0 Words)

Depletion of natural resources can be said to be the consumption and use of a particular natural resource a lot faster than the rate of replenishment of the natural resources. We can commonly divide natural resources into non-renewable resources and renewable resources. Anytime either one of the two forms of natural resources is used beyond the rate of their replacement; we can consider it to be the depletion of natural resources. Natural resources depletion usually occurs in reference to fossil fuels consumption, water usage, mining, fishing and farming. Defaunation is a term that is used to describe the depletion of the populations of wildlife.

Causes of the Depletion of Natural Resources:

1. Soil erosion

2. Agricultural practices like slash and burn

3. Contamination and pollution if resources

4. Overpopulation

5. Unnecessary, excessive or overconsumption resources use

6. Mining for minerals and fossil fuels

7. Deforestation

8. Aquifer depletion

Depletion of Minerals:

We need minerals to help provide us with housing, clothing and food. A study carried out by the geological survey of the United States discovered a trend that is long-term during the nineteenth century on resources that are non-renewable like minerals that supply greater ratio of all the raw materials put into the non-food, non-fuel economy sector. A good example can be said to be the increased consumption of gravel, sand and crushed stone that are employed in construction.

Mineral exploitation on a large scale started during the period of industrial revolution in England around 1760 and it has rapidly grown since then. Advancements in technology have made it easier for humans to access grades that are lower and dig deeper with various forms of ore. All forms of industrial basic metals like bauxite, iron and copper and also minerals of rare earth usually encounter limitation in production output periodically.

Some minerals that are believed to start declining in production in twenty years include:

ii. Copper (2024)

iii. Gasoline (2023)

Some minerals that are believed to start declining in production in this century include:

i. Iron (2068)

ii. Coal (2060)

iii. Aluminium (2057)

Depletion of Oil:

Peak oil period is believed to be the particular period in time when we reach the rate that is the maximum for the extraction of petroleum globally. After the peak oil period, the theory of peak oil posits that there will be a decline in the long term of the production rate of oil. A report in 2005 by Hirsch put forward that the prices of predictions that are petroleum derived will increase significantly all over the world as a result of the combination of decreased supply and increased demand, and the most significant one is going to be the price and availability of fuel that is liquid for transportation.

It was concluded by the report that there is going to be a problem of risk management that is unprecedented as a result of the oil production of the world that is peaking. There will be a sharp increase in the prices of fuel that is liquid and there will be volatility in the price. If there is no timely mitigation, there will be unprecedented political, social and economic costs.

Deforestation:

Deforestation can be said to be the process of forest clearing through the burning or cutting of plants and trees that are in an area that is forested. Deforestation has led to the destruction of about half of all of the areas of forests that at one point in time covered the earth. Deforestation happens as a result of a variety of reasons and there are a lot of negative effects of deforestation on our atmosphere and also on the quality land surrounding and in the forested area.

Causes of Deforestation:

One major cause of deforestation can be said to be the clearing of forests for reasons that are agricultural. With the increase in the population of areas that are developing especially those that are near the forests, there is usually more need of lands that are needed for farming. A lot of people usually see the forest as being without value just because the resources of the forest are not in use, for people like this; the profits of deforesting usually outweigh the profits of keeping the forest. As a result of this, it is of utmost importance that developing countries know the value of forests economically.

Depletion of Water:

A vital resource that we need in order to survive each day in life is water. Studies have shown that man can only last about a week if he does not take any water at all. The success and prosperity of people and nations historically has depended heavily on the availability of water. One type of water source that is a resource that is non-renewable is groundwater. Groundwater is about 98% of the fresh water that is available on the earth.

Groundwater can be used in supplying aquifers and wells for public, agricultural and private use. Only about 6% of all the groundwater is replenished about every fifty years.

Renewable Natural Resources:

We can get renewable energy from renewable natural resources. We have two major sources of energy that is renewable which are wind power and solar energy. A lot of research is ongoing on how we can get different alternatives that can replace the depletion of resources that are non-renewable.

We have a lot of major causes and things that give rise to the depletion of natural resources in our planet earth. We are beginning to really see that depletion of natural resources is a thing and there is the need for us to be careful about our consumption of these natural resources.

There is a need for us to learn how to find a balance between resources preservation and economic development. If we fail to do this and exhaust all of our natural resources, there would not be any more natural resources for us to exploit and use to meet all of our needs.

Depletion , Natural Resources

Get FREE Work-at-Home Job Leads Delivered Weekly!

Join more than 50,000 subscribers receiving regular updates! Plus, get a FREE copy of How to Make Money Blogging!

Message from Sophia!

Like this post? Don’t forget to share it!

Here are a few recommended articles for you to read next:

• Essay on Natural Resources
• Essay on My School
• Essay on Solar Energy
• Essay on Biodiversity

No comments yet.

Leave a reply click here to cancel reply..

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Billionaires

• Donald Trump
• Warren Buffett
• Email Address
• Free Stock Photos
• Keyword Research Tools
• URL Shortener Tools
• WordPress Theme

Book Summaries

• How To Win Friends
• Rich Dad Poor Dad
• The Code of the Extraordinary Mind
• The Luck Factor
• The Millionaire Fastlane
• The ONE Thing
• Think and Grow Rich
• 100 Million Dollar Business
• Business Ideas

Digital Marketing

• Mobile Addiction
• Social Media Addiction
• Computer Addiction
• Drug Addiction
• Internet Addiction
• TV Addiction
• Healthy Habits
• Morning Rituals
• Wake up Early
• Cholesterol
• Reducing Cholesterol
• Fat Loss Diet Plan
• Reducing Hair Fall
• Sleep Apnea
• Weight Loss

Internet Marketing

• Email Marketing

Law of Attraction

• Subconscious Mind
• Vision Board
• Visualization

Law of Vibration

• Professional Life

Motivational Speakers

• Bob Proctor
• Robert Kiyosaki
• Vivek Bindra
• Inner Peace

Productivity

• Not To-do List
• Project Management Software
• Negative Energies

Relationship

• Getting Back Your Ex

Self-help 21 and 14 Days Course

Self-improvement.

• Body Language
• Complainers
• Emotional Intelligence
• Personality

Social Media

• Project Management
• Anik Singal
• Baba Ramdev
• Dwayne Johnson
• Jackie Chan
• Leonardo DiCaprio
• Narendra Modi
• Nikola Tesla
• Sachin Tendulkar
• Sandeep Maheshwari
• Shaqir Hussyin

Website Development

Wisdom post, worlds most.

• Expensive Cars

Our Portals: Gulf Canada USA Italy Gulf UK

Privacy Overview

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• Conservation of Natural Resources Essay

Essay On Conservation of Natural Resource

Natural resources are the resources that occur naturally on Earth. It is an indispensable part of our lives. Natural resources consist of air, water, sunlight, coal, petroleum, natural gas, fossil fuels, oil, etc. However, humans have exploited these resources for their economic gains. Over usage of natural resources has caused depletion resulting in a huge impending threat to the existence of the human race. Conservation of nature means taking care and protecting these resources like forests, water bodies, natural gases, minerals, and fuels so that they continue to be available in abundance.

Long Essay On Conservation of Natural Resource

Conservation of nature means taking care and protecting these resources like forests, water bodies, natural gases, minerals, and fuels so that they continue to be available in abundance. Conservation refers to saving the resources for the use of the upcoming generation. There are enough natural resources which nature has provided to us. It is our duty to save them for our successors. For saving these natural resources we have to gain enough knowledge about that and should work in that direction. 

Natural resources are categorized into renewable and non-renewable. Renewable resources can be replenished naturally. These include air, water, and sunlight. Non-renewable resources consist of coal, natural gas, and oil. These resources cannot be replenished by natural resources easily to keep up with consumption. It takes hundreds of years to recycle these resources. The usage of natural resources has been pivotal for the evolution of mankind. But his progress and development have led to the exploitation of these natural resources. This demands a responsible behavior of conserving the resources to ensure sustainability .If we do not use these resources judiciously then it can create an imbalance in the environment. Global warming, floods, climate change, famine, and drought are some of the consequences we will have to face in the future. So, conservation of natural resources has become the need of the hour. 

Water is the most important and valuable natural resource on Earth. It sustains all life. We use water for drinking, generating electricity, in agriculture for irrigation of crops, in many industries for manufacturing processes. Scarcity of water would cause loss of vegetation and to all plant life, erosion of soil. Forests determine natural vegetation for mankind. It is the major natural resource that helps in economic development. Their use in fuel, timber, and industrial raw material cannot be undermined. Moreover, forests help in the control of soil erosion and control floods

Fossil fuel is the most important natural commodity for everyday activities. Coal, oil, and natural gas produce a lot of energy. Governments and agencies of various countries are employing different measures to conserve nature. Children should be educated about the implications of the exploitation of the environment. Recycling and reusing of water will help reduce the rate of depletion of freshwater from the planet. Farmers must use modern techniques in agriculture like sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, dry farming, and rotational grazing, to save water. They should start the practice of rainwater harvesting. Conservation of natural resources is the need of the present and it is our duty to conserve them.

Alternative resources or renewable resources like solar energy or water energy should be used. Saving electricity can be a step to conserve natural resources such as water, coal, natural gases, and biomass. Basic practices like switching off fans, lights, geysers, and air conditioners must become a habit. The use of solar-powered lights and cars, using public transport, and regular car-pooling will reduce the depletion of coal, oil, and gas. Increase the use of biogas and biofuels. Paper is made from wood, which is a renewable natural source. Trees are being cut at a very high speed but take time to grow. To reduce the usage of paper, modern technology must be used. This will help in reducing the carbon footprint in the atmosphere. We must plant more and more trees to prevent deforestation. 

Dumping of industrial wastes into water bodies must be prevented to protect marine life. The practice of crop rotation techniques can be implemented to increase soil fertility. Burning fossil fuel emits a large amount of carbon dioxide that is responsible for the greenhouse effect. This must be controlled. It is important to realize that natural resources are limited and it is our social responsibility to protect and take care of nature. We need to rationally use these natural resources to maintain the environment and secure our future. Farmers must use modern techniques in agriculture like sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, dry farming, and rotational grazing, to save water. They should start the practice of rainwater harvesting.

What is Biodiversity Conservation?

Biodiversity refers generally to the richness of organisms. It can be defined as the variability of the species in a particular area. The conservation of biodiversity is essential for the balance of nature. We can divide conservation into two types based on their site of conservation.

These types are :

In situ Conservation

Ex-situ conservation

There are different types of conservation in environmental science. These are classified under two categories which are mentioned here. In- situ is generally a Latin word. In means inside and ex means outside. In situ is a type of conservation in which we conserve any of the species in its home itself. While ex situ refers to the type of conservation in which we conserve any of the species out of its residence.

In-Situ Conservation 

In in-situ conservation, we conserve any of the particular species in their natural habitat. It can also be called on-site conservation of genetic resources. It has various advantages over ex-situ conservation. It does not require any advanced technology for conservation. As we are storing any of the species into its natural habitat, it is also cost-effective. Moreover, scientific research is also possible in an in-situ environment. It is also easily adaptable. Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are some examples of in-situ conservation. 

Ex-Situ Conservation

Ex-situ conservation is when we conserve any of the species out of the site of his residence. In other terms, it is the mode of conservation in which we conserve any particular species out of its habitat.  It helps to rescue the threatened species. In an ex-situ conservation, we can send a particular species to that area where proper natural resources are available for its conservation. Zoo, aquarium, zoological gardens, and botanical gardens are some examples of ex-situ conservation.

The advantages of ex-situ conversions is that it is an efficient way to increase the reproduction of threatened species and requires low maintenance.

Conservation of natural resources is the need of the future generation. It is our duty to conserve them for the future. Conservation of biodiversity is the most essential for the upcoming generations.  It is important to conserve natural resources to maintain the ecosystem and sustainability of these resources for our future generation.  Sustainable development is a theory which states that we should use our resources in such a way that it can also be conserved for our successors.

FAQs on Conservation of Natural Resources Essay

1. What are the types of Natural Resources?

There are two types of natural resources - Renewable resources and non-renewable resources. Renewable sources of energy are those which are inexhaustible in nature and keep producing more and more. Renewable sources of energy are present in nature with enough concentration . Other than renewable resources, non renewable sources of energy are present in limited quantities in nature and can end up due to their overuse.

2. Why is it important to conserve natural resources?

It is important to conserve natural resources to maintain the ecosystem and sustainability of these resources for our future generation. The concept of sustainable development is that we use our resources taking care of future generations. Using the resources in a sustainable manner can conserve the resources for our upcoming generations. For ecological balance , it is necessary that we keep balance in the nature of resources. As the natural resources are present in nature in limited quantities, their conservation is necessary. 

3. How do we reduce the consumption of fuel?

Use of solar powered cars, public transport, car-pooling, maintenance of vehicles periodically can reduce the consumption of fuel. We can also try non- conventional sources of energy. For example, we can produce electricity by hydropower plants and wind energy plants. Using non conventional sources of energy will reduce our dependence on fossil- fuels. Now, most of the countries are committing zero carbon emission and so implementation of new techniques for energy production becomes necessary in today's world. 

4. What modern techniques should farmers adopt to save water?

To save water, farmers should practice modern techniques like sprinkler irrigation, drip irrigation, rotational grazing, dry farming and rain water harvesting. These techniques not only reduce the water consumption but also are more effective for farming. Water harvesting is also one of the most effective techniques for saving water. It also fulfills our goal to attain sustainable development. Especially, in the areas of water shortage, water harvesting techniques can be very useful for farmers to grow the crop of their choice.

5. What are differences between in-situ and ex-situ conservation ?

In - situ conservation refers to the conservation of various species inside their own natural habitat. While , ex situ conservation involves the conservation of species outside of their habitat. In situ conservation requires less technological advancements and is more effective in increasing population of species. While, ex situ conservation involves less maintenance. Wildlife sanctuaries and national parks are examples of in-situ conservation, while aquarium and zoological parks are examples of ex-situ conservation. 

You can read on various topics about environmental science on Vedantu platform and also can download PDF. 

• About Us 👨‍👩‍👧

15 Strategies How to Reduce and Prevent Deforestation

Forests are one of the most important ecosystems on Earth. 80 percent of all terrestrial plants, insects, and animals call forests home. Nearly one third of people in the world depend directly on forests for their livelihoods [1] .

Trees help regulate the climate, filter water through their root system, capture dust particles and pollutants from the air and stabilize soils against erosion. They perform these vital services equally for everyone without taking into account country boundaries or the size of your income.

Every day, we use resources that forests provide to us, such as timber, firewood, medicinal and edible plants. Yet if we continue to lose our forests at the current rate, in 80 years from now there will be no forest left on our “green” planet [2] .

Deforestation is happening everywhere on the planet for many different reasons that vary from region to region. Vast areas of rainforests in a number of tropical countries, including Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia, have been destroyed to make way for palm oil, soy plantations and cattle ranches. The increasing global demand for wood products threatens many ancient forests around the world, whether it is for paper products, furniture or fuel.

Ending deforestation is the best chance we have to stabilize our climate, save wildlife species and protect our well-being. Protecting the forest is our mutual responsibility, no matter how far away we live from the nearest one. Adopt some of these strategies to help prevent the loss of more trees.

The death of the forest is the end of our life. — Dorothy Stang

What can we do about deforestation?

#1 plant a tree.

The most straightforward personal strategy to fight against deforestation is to plant a tree. Planting a tree could be considered a lifelong investment into the environment and your good mental health.

The cutting down of trees causes billions of tons of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) to be released into the air. By planting trees, you are helping to combat global warming because trees absorb carbon dioxide. You are also helping to reduce run off water from the hills. Tree roots prevent landslides and rock slides that sometimes can harm animals, people or damage buildings. Planting and caring for trees is essential for the overall health and quality of life of the community.

Trees are known for their mind soothing and healing properties. Just walking through a forest and looking at the trees calms our mind, alleviates worries and helps tired eyes recover from strain.

You can start by planting one tree, or two, or you can even plant a whole forest .

Have you heard the story of Jadav Payeng from Majuli Island, India?

The ‘Forest Man of India,’ as Jadav was titled by the country’s former president, has planted a whole forest with his own hands – one tree a day for over 40 years. The resulting 1,400 acres of forest inhabited by rhinos, tigers and elephants are astonishing. Trees also protect the island community from seasonal flooding and land erosion. So, this man has created a whole ecosystem from scratch, sustaining many lives through his consistent effort.

Watch his full story in this video.

Jadav’s story is inspiring, but it’s good to know that he is not the only one . For example, Antonio Vincente has replanted 50,000 trees on his 77 acres of land in the Amazon rainforest. Similarly, Nkomo Sikenala is striving to encourage families in Malawi to plant trees around their houses by providing them tree seedlings at reduced cost.

Join these inspiring people and start writing your own story of a life-giver. Plant a tree today.

#2 Use less paper

Two million trees are cut every day just to supply the paper demand of the United States.

Globally, 40 percent of all timber is used to make paper products, and the demand for paper increases by two to three percent every year [3] . This means that the paper industry is still consuming more and more trees.

Since the industry has such a high need for wood, it should come as no surprise that some part of the timber originates from illegal logging .

By printing out every email and wasting paper, you are unwittingly spinning the wheel of illegal forest destruction. Reduce your paper use when you can. This way, you will decrease your contribution to the loss of forests.

#3 Recycle paper and cardboard

Did you know that one ton (2,000 pounds) of paper put to recycle prevents the cutting of 17 trees? These 17 trees then sequester around 250 pounds of carbon dioxide from the air every single year [10] .

If just 10 percent of all the paper used by the average American in one year were recycled, 25 million trees would be saved [11] . That makes 367 million pounds of carbon dioxide absorbed by these trees in one year.

Imagine how many trees you can save and how much good they perform for the quality of our lives by recycling all your paper.

#4 Use recycled products

You may have noticed a little label “made from recycled paper” on your new notebook. The same label can be found on many other daily use items like books, paper bags, egg packaging and even toilet paper.

By choosing items made from recycled paper, you make a conscious effort to lower the demand for more timber .

Besides decreasing the need to cut more trees, your purchase is also supporting paper recycling facilities and reducing the amount of waste entering landfills. Therefore, try to purchase your next notebook made from recycled paper and the environment will be very thankful.

The same rule goes for furniture shopping. When buying a new piece of furniture, try to look first for already used pieces. You can often find real treasures for almost no cost. All they need is just a little bit of refurbishing. But this way you can obtain truly unique and personalized pieces for your interior.

For example, the wooden table on which my computer rests when writing this article is bought from a lady who had used it in her office for over 30 years. Few months ago, it has become a centrepiece of our Greentumble office and will remain so for many more years to come 😊.

#5 Buy only sustainable wood products

As a consumer, you can help reduce the demand for more logging (especially illegal logging) by ensuring that you only purchase products which are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) . The FSC is currently the best global standard in forest management, and provides a system for interested parties to work towards responsible forest management.

By purchasing FSC certified products, you are doing two important things:

• You are ensuring that you aren’t supporting unsustainable or illegal logging,
• You are also supporting companies who strive to produce wood sustainably and respect the rights of their workers and indigenous peoples.

#6 Don’t buy products containing palm oil

While a small amount of palm oil may be sustainably produced, the majority comes from recently cleared land. Palm oil production has become one of the main causes of tropical rainforest destruction around the world today.

Did you know that palm oil is found in many of the products you buy from the supermarket?

A large percentage of the world’s palm oil production comes from Indonesia and Malaysia, where the virgin rainforest is being cleared at an alarming rate of 2.4 million acres a year to make way for new plantations.

Avoiding products containing palm oil might not be easy, because it can be disguised in many different forms in numerous beauty products and food. If you cannot drop some of your favorite products with palm oil entirely, look at least for an alternative that carries a sustainable palm oil certification.

To date, the most rigorous certification process comes from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) , where at least 95% of the palm oil is certified in sustainable practices throughout the supply chain [5] .

#7 Reduce meat consumption

To produce the same amount of protein from animal agriculture requires much larger areas of land compared to plant-based farming. For example, nearly one third of the ice-free surface of the planet is converted into pasture for our domestic animals and 30 percent of available arable land is used to grow livestock feed rather than food for our direct consumption [6] .

The global demand for meat keeps constantly rising, but our space to rear livestock does not. That is why animal farming has become one of the leading causes of deforestation in Amazon. Around 70 percent of the Amazon rainforest clearing is done to make way for cattle ranches [7] .

If you choose to reduce the amount of meat you eat, you will lower the global demand for meat and help prevent further destruction of forests to make way for more livestock. Start slowly by replacing one portion of animal protein a week with a plant-based protein like beans.

After all, periods of not eating meat have been practiced by our ancestors for thousands of years – be it because of the meat shortage or religious fasting. In a traditional perception, periods of no meat eating have always been connected with the complete purification of the organism.

#8 Do not burn firewood excessively

More than two billion people around the world rely only on firewood to cook and heat their homes [9] . Unfortunately, this often happens in poor areas where already vulnerable forests near villages and towns are cut for fuel well before they can regenerate. Such mismanagement slowly leads to their total disappearance.

For example: The Batán Grande forest in Lambayeque on the north coast of Peru has been declared a nature reserve. One of the key species of the reserve is a tree called mesquite. But despite being protected, more than 2,000 ha of mesquite woodlands are lost every year due to poverty of local people, who fell the trees and burn them at home anyway [8] .

Global forests suffer already a great deal of damage from our excessive consumption, when you want to make a fire in your fireplace, make sure you burn wood from sustainably managed forests that have enough time to naturally regenerate.

#9 Practice eco-forestry

Eco-forestry is a restorative method of forest management, which is not based on economic productivity. In this practice, certain trees are selectively harvested while causing minimal damage to the rest of the forest.

The long-term aim of this method is to systematically fell mature trees, while leaving the forest ecosystem relatively unaffected.

If you own a piece of forest, follow these principles for they will pay you back in the long run more than the profit focused short-term forestry.

# 10 Raise awareness

Major environmental problems such as deforestation often continue to occur because of a lack of awareness and knowledge about the problem.

By educating people about the effects of their actions, such as palm oil consumption, the amount of deforestation can be reduced. Tell your friends and family about steps they can take to reduce global deforestation or show them this article 😊.

Better awareness and education is important even in the case of farmers. Education of local farmers about optimizing their land management will ensure that less forested areas need to be cleared for farming. After all, farmers are the stewards of our lands.

#11 Respect the rights of indigenous people

Although this isn’t an issue which is well publicized or widely realized, deforestation destroys the lives of millions of indigenous people. In many remote areas, large international corporations under the cover of corrupt governments intentionally violate the rights of local communities.

The best example of such a mistreatment and disrespect are happening in the Amazon with cattle ranching, or in southeast Asia with the spread of palm oil plantations, resulting often in conflicts and even physical attacks against native people.

But when indigenous people are given equal rights and their traditional lands are respected, the incidence of (illegal) deforestation decreases, as they are able to legally fight for protection of their forests.

For example, Greenpeace published an article about the Cree Nation of Waswanipi land fighting against the large-scale exploitation of the boreal forest in Quebec, Canada. Despite facing enormous pressure from logging companies, the Cree have so far stood their ground and made sure that their pristine forests and cultural heritage remains untouched for future generations.

Respect the rights of indigenous people, help them gain the equal rights and support them when you can.

#12 Support organizations that fight deforestation

Numerous international and locally-focused organizations strive to protect forests from deforestation and apply sustainable forestry practices. Examples of some you may have heard of are:

• World Wildlife Fund
• Rainforest Action Network
• Rainforest Alliance
• Conservation International
• Amazon Watch
• Arbor Day Foundation and many more.

 You can support their efforts by visiting their websites, making donations, or perhaps even participating in their volunteering programs.

#13 Join a community forestry project

In 2016, tens of thousands of people in Bhutan have planted 108,000 trees in honor of the birth of the country’s new prince. What a wonderful gift to the future ruler, right?

But the message the country has sent to the world had a deeper meaning. Through this act, Bhutan has demonstrated the indispensable power of community in managing natural resources. And community forestry is based exactly on that!

Community forestry is carried out by local residents, volunteers, and schools with the support of the government. This forestry technique involves tree planting, timber harvesting, cleaning, and forest conservation. Through the active involvement in the management of forests, local people become much more aware of all the benefits intact forests provide for them on a daily basis.

Let’s look back at Bhutan’s example. According to FAO report , 1,664 rural households take care of nearly 3,000 hectares of community forests. Since the program was adopted in 2000, it has improved livelihoods of participating rural communities by:

• strengthening their social bonds,
• regenerating degraded lands,
• purifying and securing water supply,
• providing communities with cheap and local source of fuel.

 If you have a chance and time, join a local community forestry project. You may get far more benefits from simply being outdoors with trees and soil than you could ever get from online messaging with your friends.

#14 Help restore degraded forests

Restoration of degraded forests is a challenging task that takes decades, and requires careful planning and monitoring. It is not easy, but it is necessary if we do not want to lose all our forests. What is wonderful about forest restoration is the ecosystem’s capacity to perfectly recover and give us a new chance to start once again.

For example: In just 50 years a part of a long lost tropical rainforest in Costa Rica was successfully revived [12] . Similarly successful was South Korea’s reforestation program that has managed to nearly double the country’s forest cover from 35 to 64 percent since 1950s [13] .

Non-profit organizations such as The Sierra Club are working throughout the world to restore degraded forests and return them to their former glory. While this doesn’t reduce deforestation directly, it can offset many negative impacts of deforestation on a global scale. Look for such organizations in your area or in the area of your interest and support their activities if you can.

Their work of reversing deforestation is precious for future generations.

#15 Fight governmental corruption

Corrupt governments are often payed off by illegal logging companies to ignore their activities. Do not support corrupt politicians and systems. Reduction of corruption will go a long way towards reducing deforestation overall.

In many poorer countries, the lack of police presence and law enforcement means that illegal deforestation often goes unpunished and unnoticed for many years, even though it is destroying the country’s economy and resource wealth.

For example: 70 percent of Indonesia’s timber exports come from illegal logging. Besides leaving behind extensive damage to the rainforest, the country is also losing around US$3.7 billion every year in lost revenue [15] . Thus, the illegal logging does more harm than good to the country.

Report illegal logging

Did you know that in some countries are available mobile applications for people like you and me to verify and report illegal logging?

For example, Romania has launched an app called “Inspectorul Padurii.” The app enables users to enter a registration number of a logging truck to check if the vehicle has official permission to carry wood. If the number is not in the database, the load is illegal and the user should notify the police.

Global Forest Watch has developed an app called the Forest Watcher , which monitors areas with intact and protected forests. The app notifies you about the closest forest clearing and allows you to even directly upload pictures of deforested areas you encounter. In Uganda, the app is used by rangers and private forest owners to detect illegal logging and serves as an evidence during offenders’ prosecution.

If you want to help protect forests in your country, give a try to the Forest Watcher or check on internet if you cannot find a similar app developed directly for your area. The use of the modern technology and gadgets could be a possible solution of illegal logging which is one way to limit deforestation.

Where is deforestation happening?

To certain extent, deforestation happens everywhere in the world and has been happening even throughout our history. Within the limits of sustainability, forests have incredible capacity to recover and can be logged for centuries without getting damaged.

The problem comes when our consumption exceeds the natural ability of forests to regenerate, and when we start to overexploit this resource on a large-scale. Unfortunately, this is exactly what is currently happening in many tropical countries that are homes to unique rainforests .

According to a 2017 study of the world’s deforestation hot spots, Brazil, Indonesia and Democratic Republic of Congo are countries with the highest absolute forest loss in the world.

In Brazil, forests are cleared to make space for agriculture. In Indonesia it is for the palm oil and paper industry. And in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the main reason is extensive tree felling for fuel and farm land around rapidly growing cities.

But we do not have to go deep into the lush rainforest to witness sad effects of deforestation. Greentumble has written even about the spread of illegal deforestation in Romania due to the corrupt government, or total destruction of forests in Ukraine for the amber mining , and reported on the scale of deforestation in the United States as well.

What is being done about deforestation?

Through the amendment of the Lacey Act in May 2008, the United States became the first country to ban the import and sale of illegally-sourced wood.

According to the Illegal Logging Portal, the implementation of this legislation has delivered some positive results. Firstly, in assuring consumers that products they buy are legally sourced (although this does not necessarily mean, they come from sustainably managed forests). Secondly, by closing down a large market for illegal loggers, and therefore restricting their chances of making profit [16] .

The European Union has implemented a similar law called Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade. Besides banning the import of illegal timber to the EU, this program also strives to help the Government of Indonesia to tackle the illegal logging on their territory [17] .

Australia has jumped on the bandwagon when the country introduced the Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill in 2011, shrinking even more the market for illegally sourced wood, and thus lowering the damaging deforestation throughout the world [18] .

But despite these efforts, tackling the deforestation globally will require much more initiative and international cooperation of governments, corporations and even consumers like you and me.

So, this brings up a question: how can we control deforestation then?

According to the Nature Conservancy , a promotion of sustainable forest management takes place on four important levels:

• Governments: Governments must enforce incentives to support legal and sustainable forest management and trade system.
• Land owners and managers: Forest owners must follow the legal principles of the sustainable forest management.
• Corporations and investors: Corporations must verify and buy only legally and sustainably sourced timber. Their investments have the ability to revert forest destruction and encourage sustainable forestry in developing countries through the establishment of long-term cooperation with forest owners.
• Consumers: Consumers must make responsible choices when buying products. By picking only sustainably produced items, you are pushing corporations to put emphasis on the sustainable sourcing of their products.

As you can see, the way to tackle deforestation is complex and intertwined through the daily actions of all of us. No matter what your profession is or how far you live from the forest, every decision you make affects how many trees will be lost next year in the world’s tropical rainforests or vast boreal forests of the north.

Be aware of the footprint you are leaving behind your lifestyle, for animals on the edge of extinction like Orangutans or Sumatran tigers are losing their forest home every minute now.

Was this article helpful?

About greentumble.

Greentumble was founded in the summer of 2015 by us, Sara and Ovi . We are a couple of environmentalists who seek inspiration for life in simple values based on our love for nature. Our goal is to inspire people to change their attitudes and behaviors toward a more sustainable life. Read more about us .

• Agriculture
• Biodiversity
• Deforestation
• Endangered Species
• Green Living
• Solar Energy

Sliding Sidebar

Essay on Depletion of Natural Resources for Students and Children

500 words essay on depletion of natural resources.

Humans are using natural resources endlessly day by day. The population explosion is causing overexploitation of natural resources with little or no care to conserving them. To meet this massive population, depletion of natural resources is happening. However, we need to understand that natural resources are finite. Even renewable resources are not being given enough time to replenish. Thus, one can even wonder what the condition of non-renewable resources might be. Therefore, this depletion of natural resources is quite harmful to the earth and its inhabitants.

Impact of Depletion of Natural Resources

As we require minerals for almost everything from housing to business, they are being used up rapidly. There has been a major decline in these minerals like coal , copper and more. Soon, we will run out of them all if we do not conserve them properly.

Similarly, the oil reserves are also running out. We won’t be able to produce more oil and thus we won’t get any petroleum . There will be inflation in prices and many economies will crumble due to this lack of resources.

Similarly, forests are being cut down at an alarming rate. For instance, the recent decision to cut down the Aarey forest in Mumbai is a major example. However, the damage being done due to this deforestation is quite worrisome. This will only spike the carbon dioxide levels and alter the water cycle on earth. We will soon face frequent faces of floods and soil erosion through which even our biodiversity will decrease.

Most importantly, the way we are wasting water needs to be checked right away. As it is many countries are facing a water crisis and we know life without water is impossible. The farmers won’t get enough water for irrigation. It can also result in famine and many more deadly consequences. We must not waste these resources instead find ways to prevent this depletion.

Ways to Prevent Depletion of Natural Resource

There are many ways in which everyone can help in this prevention of natural resource depletion. Firstly, we must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. You can do it by stop wasting electricity . Try to carpool with your neighbors or relative and take public transport instead.

Moreover, stop polluting water. As it is our freshwater bodies are running out of clean water. We must organize cleanliness drives to clean the water of these bodies. Do not let your tap run for a long time. The industries must be banned from dumping their toxic waste into the water. Furthermore, do not take long showers, instead use the buckets for a bath.

Most importantly, please plant more trees. Preserve our existing forests and do not let them be cut down. They are a very important natural resource needed for human survival. Use less paper to avoid cutting down trees. We can all come together and prevent this depletion of natural resources only if we realize the harmful consequences.

FAQs on Depletion of Natural Resources

Q.1 What is the impact of natural resource depletion?

A.1 Natural resource depletion means that we will soon find it hard to survive. The water cycle will be altered, carbon dioxide levels will increase, inflation will happen in oil prices, economies can also crumble following this depletion.

Q.2 How can we prevent natural resource depletion?

A.2 Everyone can do their bit to prevent this depletion. We must reduce our dependence on fossil fuels which are soon running out. Moreover, we must organize cleanliness drives to clear out water and make it safe. Other than that, instead of cutting down forests, plant more trees.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Essay on Conservation of Natural Resources in English for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Natural resources are those resources that are made available to us by nature. Sunlight, air, water and minerals are some of the examples of natural resources. While some of the natural resources are renewable others are non-renewable. It is essential to conserve natural resources so that they can be used for longer period.

Fill Out the Form for Expert Academic Guidance!

Please indicate your interest Live Classes Books Test Series Self Learning

Verify OTP Code (required)

I agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy .

Fill complete details

Target Exam ---

The need to conserve the natural resources has been emphasized time and again. If we continue to exploit natural resources at this pace we will end up creating an imbalance in the environment.

Long and Short Essay on Conservation of Natural Resources in English

Here are essay on Conservation of Natural Resources of varying lengths to help you with the topic in your exam. You can select anyone you like:

Short Essay on Conservation of Natural Resources – Essay 1 (200 words)

Natural resources are of different types however these have largely been classified as renewable and non-renewable. Some of the examples of renewable natural resources are sunlight, water, wind, wood and soil. While few of these natural resources are available in abundance in nature and can be replenished fast others take time to renew.

Coal, oil and natural gases are some of the examples of non-renewable natural resources. Though available naturally in the environment, these natural resources cannot be replenished or take hundreds of years to recycle.

The presence of natural resources is essential for maintaining the environmental balance. However, we do not think twice before utilizing them. We are exploiting our natural resources and they are getting depleted at a rapid speed. We must understand the importance of natural resources and the need to conserve them for future use. We must particularly be cautious while using the non-renewable resources as well as the renewable resources that take time to replenish. These resources are our basic requirements. They are essential for our survival. If we do not take serious measures to conserve them, then it will become almost impossible for us to live on Earth.

The government of every country needs to emphasize the importance of conservation of natural resources and ensure its citizens avoid wastage of any kind.

Essay on Conservation of Natural Resources for Future Generation – Essay 2 (300 words)

Introduction

Natural resources are mostly limited and it is our responsibility to use them wisely and conserve them for our future generations. Natural resources are vital for the survival of the human beings as well as other living beings. While some natural resources make life possible on earth others make it comfortable.

Survival of Future Generation

Natural resources such as water, air and sunlight are abundantly available in the atmosphere. These are renewable natural resources and man does not have to worry much about their availability. However, there are many renewable resources such as wood, soil, etc that take years to renew. These must thus be used cautiously.

Besides, the non-renewable resources such as fossil fuels and minerals cannot be used over and over again. These cannot be regenerated once consumed. Both renewable as well as non-renewable natural resources are essential for the survival of the living beings. We use these for various purposes. Some of these are used directly while others are used to build different things that are used widely by us.

The Government’s Role

While people must behave responsibly and ensure they don’t waste the valuable natural resources the government must also step in and take measures to conserve the natural resources. Strict laws must be made to ensure we only use as much as we need and avoid wastage of any kind.

The government must keep a check on the cutting of trees, over consumption of petroleum, wastage of minerals and even the usage of water. Innovative methods must be used to limit their consumption. Anyone found exploiting these must be punished.

If we continue to use our natural resources at the same rate we are using them currently, we wouldn’t be left with much of them in the future. It will create a problem for the future generations. We must use the natural resources cautiously so that our future generations do not suffer.

Essay on Need to Protect and Conserve our Natural Resources – Essay 3 (400 words)

The need to protect and conserve our natural resources is often emphasized. This has become a major cause of concern especially since the last few decades. While many natural resources such as air, water and sunlight are available abundantly in the atmosphere and are being renewed naturally others such as petroleum, minerals and natural gases are limited and cannot be recycled or renewed. These are depleting at a fast rate.

Need to Protect and Conserve Natural Resources

There is a dire need to protect and conserve our natural resources. If we do not protect them now, we shall not be able to survive on this planet for long. Here are some of the top reasons why we must protect and conserve these valuable resources:

• Natural Resources are Limited

Natural Resources are divided into two categories – renewable natural resources and non renewable natural resources. While many renewable natural resources are available abundantly in nature and are easily renewed others take time to replenish. The examples of the natural resources that take time to renew include wood, soil and biomass. It is essential to use such renewable resources carefully as these are limited and we need to wait before they replenish naturally. Non-renewable resources such as minerals, metals and petroleum are limited and there is no way we can renew these. Thus, it is of utmost importance to use them wisely.

• Natural Resources: Essential for Human Survival

We need to protect and conserve natural resources as they are extremely essential for the survival of human beings as well as other living beings. Life on Earth is possible only because of the availability of natural resources. If we continue to exploit natural resources and deplete them at this rate, we shall not be able to survive on this planet for long.

We are not only consuming the non-renewable natural resources rapidly and face a risk of depleting these soon but are also deteriorating the quality of those available in abundance. The air and water quality has gone down due to pollution and it is likely to degrade further in the times to come. We need to protect and conserve natural resources for our future generations so that they can enjoy a comfortable life just as we do.

We must all take it as our responsibility to avoid wastage of our natural resources. We must contribute towards the protection and conversation of these precious resources that nature has bestowed on us.

Essay on Ways to Conserve Natural Resources – Essay 4 (500 words)

Natural resources are available freely in nature but most of these are either limited or take hundreds of years to recycle. This is the reason why we must use these resources carefully and avoid any kind of wastage. However, it is easier said than done. Human beings have grown so accustomed to utilizing natural resources for different purposes that it is difficult for them to live without these. We do not realize that these are depleting fast and we may not be left with much of these in the times to come. What we also don’t visualize is that life will become extremely difficult without these valuable resources in the future.

Ways to Conserve Natural Resources

Here are some of the ways to conserve natural resources:

• Save Electricity

Electricity is produced from both renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Large amount of fossil fuels are being used to produce electricity. Saving electricity can go a long way in saving natural resources such as water, coal, natural gases and biomass. Simple practices such as limiting the use of air conditioners, keeping the lights turned off during the day time, unplugging the appliances if not in use and using energy efficient devices can help.

Fuels such as petrol and diesel on which our vehicles run are derived from petroleum which is a non renewable natural resource. We must choose our means of transportation wisely in order to save fuel else we will run out of it in the times to come. Using public transport, regular car pooling, opting for electric vehicles and turning off the engine on red lights are a few ways to save fuel.

• Restrict Usage of Paper

Paper is made out of wood which is a renewable natural resource. However, it is a renewable resource that takes time to replenish. Trees are being cut at a rapid speed and they do not grow as fast. It takes years for this natural resource to renew. This is the reason why we must stop wasting paper. Some of the ways in which we can do so are by using both the sides of the paper while printing, opting for online bills and sending used papers for recycling. We must also make it a habit to plant trees and encourage those around us to do the same.

Though a renewable natural resource, it is essential to save water else we may run out of clean water which is used for drinking, cooking, cleaning and other such purposes. This can be done by making small changes in our routine such as using water from the bucket while bathing, watering plants and washing car instead of using showers or pipes for these tasks. Similarly, keeping the tap turned off when not in use while brushing teeth or washing dishes can help in avoiding wastage of water.

In order to secure our future and live a comfortable life, we must use our natural resources wisely. There are numerous ways to conserve these resources such as choosing our means of transport wisely, planting trees, avoiding over usage of electrical appliances and avoiding wastage of water. If each one of us takes it as a responsibility to avoid wastage of natural resources and the government keeps a serious tab on the consumption of natural resources then conserving the, will get easier.

Long Essay on Conservation of Natural Resources – Essay 5 (600 words)

Natural resources are those resources that have been made available to us by nature. There is no human intervention in producing these resources. Since centuries man has used these resources to satiate many of his needs. Many of these resources are used directly while others are used indirectly. These resources are used to prepare things that come handy in our lives. From using these natural resources to exploiting every bit of them – man has come a long way. We need to conserve the natural resources so that our future generations can also use them to make their life comfortable.

Types of Natural Resources

There are basically two types of natural resources. These are renewable natural resources and non-renewable natural resources. Renewable natural resources are those resources that can be renewed naturally for example air, water, sunlight, wood, soil, etc. These are further divided into two categories – those natural resources that can be renewed easily and those that take time to replenish. Wood and soil fall in the second category.

Non Renewable resources are those resources that cannot be recycled or renewed. While some of these are available in abundance in the nature, others are limited. Some of the examples of non renewable resources include minerals, natural gases and metals. Non-renewable resources are used for various purposes and are getting depleted at a fast rate. Since these cannot be renewed these would disappear from the surface of Earth in the coming times as we are exploiting them badly.

Why Conserve Natural Resources?

We need to conserve and protect both renewable as well as non-renewable natural resources. This is because these natural resources are limited. These are the reason we are surviving on this planet and are leading a comfortable life. If we continue to deplete them at this rate, our survival on Earth will become extremely difficult.

The importance of conserving the natural resources has been emphasized time and again. However, we still continue to use these carelessly. It is important for us to take this issue seriously and stop unnecessary wastage of these precious resources. We must understand that our carelessness can affect the future generations adversely. They will have to face a lot of hardships if we do not conserve natural resources for their use.

How to Conserve Natural Resources?

There are many ways in which natural resources can be saved. Following simple practices can help in creating a big difference.

In order to conserve natural resources, we must first remind ourselves about the need to do so. We have grown so accustomed to using various things in our day to day life that we do not realize that in doing so we are consuming a good amount of natural resources. There are many times when we can do without using these things however we continue to use them blindly without realizing how we are contributing towards our own extinction.

From the electricity we consume to the water we use, from the fuel we use in our vehicles to the paper we use to write, everything is derived directly or indirectly from the natural resources. Simple things such as turning off the lights before leaving the room, unplugging the electrical appliances when they are not in use, avoiding printing of paper and using the e-copies wherever you can, loading the washing machine fully while washing the clothes and using bucket instead of shower or pipes while bathing and washing cars can help in conserving natural resources.

It is important for us to realize that out natural resources are limited. We must plan and use these wisely so that these are not wasted. This will help in conserving them for our future generations. Every person must take it as his responsibility to use the natural resources cautiously and contribute towards conserving them.

Related Information:

Essay on Natural Resources

Essay on Natural Resources Depletion

Speech on Natural Resources

Speech on Depletion of Natural Resources in India

Paragraph on Natural Resources

Essay on Renewable Energy

Related content

Get access to free Mock Test and Master Class

Register to Get Free Mock Test and Study Material

Offer Ends in 5:00

Select your Course

Please select class.

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. Take the first step today

Meet top uk universities from the comfort of your home, here’s your new year gift, one app for all your, study abroad needs, start your journey, track your progress, grow with the community and so much more.

Verification Code

An OTP has been sent to your registered mobile no. Please verify

Thanks for your comment !

Our team will review it before it's shown to our readers.

• School Education /

✍️Essay on Natural Resources: Samples in 100, 150 and 200 Words 

• Updated on  
• Nov 2, 2023

Wondering about how the resources provided by our planet Earth are depleting? Well, that’s true. We have come to the stage where we should start working towards saving our planet. We humans have used our resources in a humongous quantity. Therefore, it’s time we start working towards saving our planet for our future generations. Today we will provide you with a few samples of essay on natural resources which will help you write on this topic easily. 

Table of Contents

• 1 What are Natural Resources?
• 2 Types of Natural Resources
• 3 Essay on Natural Resources in 100 Words
• 4 Essay on Natural Resources in 150 Words
• 5 Essay on Natural Resources in 200 Words

What are Natural Resources?

Natural Resources are resources which are present in nature independent of human actions. 

These are the resources that are created naturally by the environment, without any help from humans. Soil, stone, sunlight, air, plants, animals, fossil fuels, etc. are all natural resources.

In simple language, natural resources are naturally occurring materials which are useful to humankind. They can also be useful in a variety of ways such as in technological, economic or social contexts. These resources include building, clothing materials, food, water, fertilisers and geothermal energy. Natural resources were traditionally within the purview of the natural sciences.

Also Read: Essay on Save Environment: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC in 6 Months?

Types of Natural Resources

Speaking of the type of natural resources, there are mainly two types of natural resources. These include Renewable and Non-renewable resources. 

Renewable Resources: These are those resources which are endlessly available to humans for several uses. These resources are trees, wind, and water.

Non-Renewable Resources: These resources are available to humans in infinite quantities as they are not renewable and their supply may eventually run out. Minerals and fossil fuels are a few examples.

Also Read: Essay on the Importance of the English Language for Students

Essay on Natural Resources in 100 Words

Natural resources are parts of the natural world that are useful to humans. Renewable resources are those that can be swiftly replenished, these include soil, water, and air., Non-renewable resources are those that need time to recover, such as minerals, oil, natural gas, etc. 

One should note that the survival of all life on Earth depends on natural resources. However, the usage of natural resources in excess use can cause ecosystem disruption. Many nations are taking action these days to protect their natural resources. Natural resources shouldn’t be used for purposes outside our needs. In order to preserve non-renewable resources, we should utilise renewable resources more frequently than non-renewable ones.

Essay on Natural Resources in 150 Words

The organic aspects of nature that contribute to our way of life are known as natural resources. For survival, we rely on natural resources. Natural resources include things like air, water, soil, minerals, crops, etc. Resources like minerals, oil, and other resources are found in non-living organisms and take eons to regenerate. 

The distribution of natural resources is not even. Resources like these are also the primary driver of international trade relations for many nations. However, with time, these natural resources have now been overused by the human mankind beyond their limits. 

However, the unrestricted exploitation of natural resources is a challenge for all nations these days. To control this, a lot of nations are emphasising garbage recycling and employing more renewable resources than non-renewable ones. 

Sustainable development is the use of natural resources for current requirements without wasting them while keeping an eye on the future. It refers to the wise use of natural resources without sacrificing what coming generations will need.

Also Read: Essay on Unity in Diversity in 100 to 200 Words

Essay on Natural Resources in 200 Words

Natural resources are materials found in the environment that humans use to survive.  From the very start, humans have been dependent on these resources. While some of these resources can be restored more rapidly than others, some require more time. Resources like sunlight, water, air, and other renewable resources are readily available and have higher recovery rates than consumption rates.

On the other hand, the formation and processing of non-renewable resources, such as minerals, oil, and natural gas, take a long time. Even the usage rate of these non-renewable resources is higher as compared to the renewable resources. While some natural resources are used immediately, others must first undergo processing.

Even while renewable resources are available in huge quantities, they should also be used responsibly. Both renewable and non-renewable resources require time to be created and processed. Therefore, it is very important for humans to use these resources in a limited quantity and leave some for future generations.

With time, humans are using these resources excessively. With the ever-increasing population, humans have already created a huge impact on the environment. To begin, humans are continuously polluting the air, water and noise. Buildings are being constructed on more land. The land is becoming less valuable in this way. Humans are soon becoming the biggest reason behind depleting natural resources, such as land, water, and air. 

Therefore, we mustn’t undervalue these resources. The moment has come for us to recognise the importance of using these resources sustainably.

Related Articles

Natural Resources are substances which are naturally obtained from nature. Here are the 5 natural resources: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, Sand, Gems, and Metals.

Renewable resources are natural resources that can be replenished or regenerated at a rate comparable to the rate at which they are consumed or harvested. For example: Solar energy, Wind energy, Biomass, Geothermal energy, etc.

Conserving and saving natural resources is essential for sustainable development and the preservation of the environment. Here are some easy tips to save natural resources: Implementing the 3Rs in daily life; Adopting energy-efficient practices such as using energy-saving appliances; Reducing water wastage by fixing leaks, using water-efficient appliances, and practising mindful water usage in daily activities, etc.

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay-writing page and follow Leverage Edu ! 

Malvika Chawla

Malvika is a content writer cum news freak who comes with a strong background in Journalism and has worked with renowned news websites such as News 9 and The Financial Express to name a few. When not writing, she can be found bringing life to the canvasses by painting on them.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Contact no. *

it is awesome 👌 every doubt of mine gets clear 😀 thank you very much

Connect With Us

45,000+ students realised their study abroad dream with us. take the first step today..

Resend OTP in

Need help with?

Study abroad.

UK, Canada, US & More

IELTS, GRE, GMAT & More

Scholarship, Loans & Forex

Country Preference

New Zealand

Which English test are you planning to take?

Which academic test are you planning to take.

Not Sure yet

When are you planning to take the exam?

Already booked my exam slot

Within 2 Months

Want to learn about the test

Which Degree do you wish to pursue?

When do you want to start studying abroad.

January 2025

September 2025

What is your budget to study abroad?

How would you describe this article ?

Please rate this article

We would like to hear more.

Have something on your mind?

Make your study abroad dream a reality in January 2022 with

India's Biggest Virtual University Fair

Essex Direct Admission Day

Why attend .

Don't Miss Out

A Safer Future: Reducing the Impacts of Natural Disasters (1991)

Chapter: 3. awareness and education, awareness and education.

T he key to reducing loss of life, personal injuries, and damage from natural disasters is widespread public awareness and education. People must be made aware of what natural hazards they are likely to face in their own communities. They should know in advance what specific preparations to make before an event, what to do during a hurricane, earthquake, flood, fire, or other likely event, and what actions to take in its aftermath.

Equally important, public officials and the media — television, radio, and newspapers — must be fully prepared to respond effectively, responsibly, and speedily to large-scale natural emergencies. They need to be aware, in advance, of procedures to follow in a crisis that threatens to paralyze the entire community they serve, and they need to know how to communicate accurate information to the public during a natural disaster.

Special efforts must also be made to reach and plan for the care of particularly vulnerable segments of the population — latch-key children, the elderly, individuals in health care and correctional facilities, people with disabilities, and those who do not speak English — with information about possible disasters and what to do in an emergency.

The Committee recommends that community-wide awareness and education programs about natural disasters be made a national priority.

To achieve this goal, the Committee proposes that information campaigns and educational efforts be developed and that their effectiveness be evaluated and, where possible, continually improved:

Home. Household survival plans should provide basic information on what hazardous events are most likely to occur in particular communities, what emergency equipment and supplies should be on hand, what precautions should be taken to limit damage, and what preparations should be made for escape and evacuation. Such information might best be conveyed graphically, both in print and on television. Dramatic, easily recognizable graphic symbols signifying each natural hazard should be created and widely publicized to identify impending emergencies and quickly alert the public to the degree of seriousness and the imminence of danger.

To stimulate public awareness, brochures, posters, games, calendars, museum exhibits, public service announcements (for print, radio, and television), and even entertainment programming should be used. Materials produced by the American Red Cross, FEMA, the National Weather Service (NWS), the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and other government agencies as well as insurance companies and other private sector entities are already available for such campaigns. (See Figure 2 .) Organizations in the private sector, including the Advertising Council, public utilities, public relations firms, advertising agencies, and voluntary organizations, should be enlisted to create, produce, and disseminate new information materials.

The community. Community-wide planning and education should be encouraged. Schools, government organizations, community and church groups, business and neighborhood organizations, hospital and medical groups, and the news media should all be involved. Checklists, information handouts, and training videos should be created and widely distributed to convey such information as the location of nearby emergency resources and appropriate use of the 911 system both during and after a disaster. Regional and community demonstration programs, disaster day exercises, volunteer courses, and conferences should be undertaken and evaluated for their effectiveness.

Figure 2. WILDLAND HOME FIRE RISK METER Practical, easy-to-use materials can give people the information they need to protect their homes and possibly save their lives. By turning a series of dials, rural residents can determine their homes ' risks from wildfire. The reverse side of the meter provides information on reducing those risks. (Source. U.S. Forest Service.)

School. Educational materials about preparedness, warnings, and self-protection should be distributed to schools for use in kindergarten through the 12th grade. Teachers should be given training on integrating the materials into the regular curricula so that all children receive the information they need to protect themselves from disasters. Similar training initiatives should be directed to teachers at day-care centers and preschools as well as to caretakers of the elderly. These steps will also raise the level of awareness and preparedness at home.

The warkplace. Awareness and education for disaster mitigation and preparedness should be encouraged in the workplace. Labor unions, industry management, government employers, and business groups should work with disaster specialists and community agencies to produce and acquire the necessary training and information materials. Existing work safety and security programs should be expanded to include disaster preparedness measures and emergency response procedures. Workplace safety drills and disaster exercises are essential to ensure that procedures are followed in an emergency. Prime movers of this effort should include insurance companies, labor unions, Chambers of Commerce, public utilities, and Industrial Crisis Conference participants.

Colleges and universities. Community colleges as well as other colleges and universities should be encouraged to include disaster management training in their curricula. Materials on mitigation and preparedness should be made part of geoscience, meteorology, forestry, health, engineering, architecture, education, planning, public administration, and business school programs. Preparation of books, articles, and teaching aids, and research by faculty and students should be encouraged and supported.

Public officials and the press. Special attention should be given to raising the level of knowledge and expertise of public officials and the press, both of whom have central responsibilities for dealing with natural disasters. There is a need to develop procedures, protocols, and priorities for disseminating information to the public. Contingency plans should be put in place so that vital emergency services and key elements of the press are prepared to function even when electricity, transportation, telephone transmission, and other communications and production capabilities are severely disrupted. Community emergency procedures, warning signals, disaster resources, and relief facilities and responsibilities should be spelled out in advance and reviewed and tested periodically by public officials and the press.

Journalism schools and press think tanks such as the Gannett Center for Media Studies and the Annenberg Center for Communications, as well as professional organizations such as Sigma Delta Chi and the Radio-Television News Directors Association, should be encouraged to investigate the specific challenges of providing information and news coverage in time of disaster.

Professionals. Disaster education is essential in the training of the government and private sector professionals, emergency management personnel, and emergency service providers who have the major responsibility for mitigation and emergency response. Professional continuing education programs on mitigating the effects of natural disasters should be made widely available through colleges, universities, and professional associations. Development of advanced materials for use in curricula, workshops, conferences, and similar activities should be encouraged. Continuing education requirements should be built into the certification, licensing, and evaluation of professionals in the field. Courses in hazard-resistant land-use, design, and structural techniques should be included in engineering, architecture, and construction curricula. Special attention should be given to planning for reconstruction and other elements of community recovery. Schools of medicine, nursing, and public health should offer courses on disaster preparedness and response as they relate to individual and community health.

The spectacular damage caused to the highway and bridge systems of the San Francisco Bay area during the Loma Prieta earthquake is being studied for applications to updating building and safety codes.

Initial priorities for U.S. participation in the International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction, declared by the United Nations, are contained in this volume. It focuses on seven issues: hazard and risk assessment; awareness and education; mitigation; preparedness for emergency response; recovery and reconstruction; prediction and warning; learning from disasters; and U.S. participation internationally.

The committee presents its philosophy of calls for broad public and private participation to reduce the toll of disasters.

READ FREE ONLINE

Welcome to OpenBook!

You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

Show this book's table of contents , where you can jump to any chapter by name.

...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

Switch between the Original Pages , where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter .

Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

View our suggested citation for this chapter.

Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

Get Email Updates

Do you enjoy reading reports from the Academies online for free ? Sign up for email notifications and we'll let you know about new publications in your areas of interest when they're released.

Essay on Natural Resources For Students and Children in 1000 Words

In this article you will read an essay on natural resources for students and children in 1000 words. It includes types, classification, importance, effects and conservation of natural reaources.

Table of Contents

Introduction to Natural Resources

Do we all care about our natural resources? The answer is no. As long as pollution and other environmental problems don’t get worse, these things might run out.

What are Natural Resources?

Without things like air, sunlight, and water, life on our planet would be impossible.Other natural resources are just as important and have become an important part of our lives, too.

Types of Natural resources

1. renewable natural resources.

An animal is a renewable natural resource, too, because it can be bred and bred so that it can be replaced by a new animal when it gets older.

2. Non-renewable natural resources

Minerals are classified as non-renewable because, although they are naturally formed in the rock cycle, the periods of their formation last for thousands of years. It’s the same with some animals, mostly endangered species, because they’re close to extinction and can’t be replaced.

3. Natural resources as stock

Air: Air is used to generate wind energy. Windmills are used to make them and apply them for a variety of purposes, such as pumping water, grinding grain, etc.

Coal: This is another natural resource used to generate electricity.

Importance of Natural Resources

Everyone should be given an equal opportunity to use resources for the benefit of humanity. You should not spend available resources selfishly without considering your fellow people.

Water is life , and every drop is valuable in a similar way. Wood should be used so as not to damage the forest’s resources more than needed. Sustainable lifestyles should be the goal of resource balance.

Everyone has the right to live and use natural resources in this world. All living creatures belong to mother earth, and all have access to its resources.

Effects of development on the ecosystem

The disease spreads through the environment. Human activity has weakened the protective ozone layer. Overuse of natural resources such as land, water, minerals, coal, oil, etc., has reduced them.

Conservation of Natural Resources

To protect water. Keep the taps closed when not in use. Use less water-consuming toilets. watering plants to do during evening trips. Use of drip irrigation systems and sprinkler irrigation, etc.

Saving energy

Caution in using fuel, prevent misuse, protecting the soil, soil erosion prevention:.

In short, these natural resources are significant for our existence as well as for the development of the country. Maintaining these resources will help open up new opportunities that are necessary for the country’s economic growth. 

Reader Interactions

Leave a reply cancel reply, copyright protection, important links.

ENCYCLOPEDIC ENTRY

Preservation.

Preservation and conservation are both processes that protect the environment, but their approaches are somewhat different. The goal of preservation is to protect the environment from the harmful effects of human activity.

Biology, Ecology, Earth Science, Climatology, Geography, Human Geography

Buffalo and Crane

Wildlife and land preservation efforts help protect diverse wildlife populations such as this Asian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and grey heron (Ardea cinrea) in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.

Photograph by Cezary Wojtkowski

The words preservation and conservation are often used interchangeably, but the two concepts are quite different. Conservation protects the environment through the responsible use of natural resources. Preservation protects the environment from harmful human activities. For example, conserving a forest typically involves sustainable logging practices to minimize deforestation. Preservation would involve setting aside part or even all of the forest from human development.

Why is preservation necessary? In 1800, the world’s population was one billion people. Today it is over seven billion—and continues to rise. An increase in people means greater demand for water, food, lumber , and other resources that come from natural environments. Increasing demand can drive people to exploit resources, even in regions well protected by preservation laws. Dzanga-Ndoki National Park is a protected region in Central Africa. Yet in 2013, poachers entered the region and killed 26 elephants for their tusks.

Successful preservation efforts often rely on shared responsibility between communities, organizations, and governments. In China, preserving the giant panda’s ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) habitat over the last decade has increased the panda population. As a result, in 2016 the panda was removed from the endangered species list and reclassified as “vulnerable,” which is a step in the right direction.

Wetlands are also hotspots for preservation. Wetlands improve water quality and minimize flooding and erosion. The Okavango Delta is the largest freshwater wetland in Africa. In 2015, National Geographic Explorer Steve Boyes launched the Okavango Wilderness Project to preserve a region that provides over 95 percent of the water to this delta.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Production Managers

Program specialists, last updated.

May 9, 2024

User Permissions

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service .

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

Related Resources

Sciencing_Icons_Science SCIENCE

Sciencing_icons_biology biology, sciencing_icons_cells cells, sciencing_icons_molecular molecular, sciencing_icons_microorganisms microorganisms, sciencing_icons_genetics genetics, sciencing_icons_human body human body, sciencing_icons_ecology ecology, sciencing_icons_chemistry chemistry, sciencing_icons_atomic &amp; molecular structure atomic & molecular structure, sciencing_icons_bonds bonds, sciencing_icons_reactions reactions, sciencing_icons_stoichiometry stoichiometry, sciencing_icons_solutions solutions, sciencing_icons_acids &amp; bases acids & bases, sciencing_icons_thermodynamics thermodynamics, sciencing_icons_organic chemistry organic chemistry, sciencing_icons_physics physics, sciencing_icons_fundamentals-physics fundamentals, sciencing_icons_electronics electronics, sciencing_icons_waves waves, sciencing_icons_energy energy, sciencing_icons_fluid fluid, sciencing_icons_astronomy astronomy, sciencing_icons_geology geology, sciencing_icons_fundamentals-geology fundamentals, sciencing_icons_minerals &amp; rocks minerals & rocks, sciencing_icons_earth scructure earth structure, sciencing_icons_fossils fossils, sciencing_icons_natural disasters natural disasters, sciencing_icons_nature nature, sciencing_icons_ecosystems ecosystems, sciencing_icons_environment environment, sciencing_icons_insects insects, sciencing_icons_plants &amp; mushrooms plants & mushrooms, sciencing_icons_animals animals, sciencing_icons_math math, sciencing_icons_arithmetic arithmetic, sciencing_icons_addition &amp; subtraction addition & subtraction, sciencing_icons_multiplication &amp; division multiplication & division, sciencing_icons_decimals decimals, sciencing_icons_fractions fractions, sciencing_icons_conversions conversions, sciencing_icons_algebra algebra, sciencing_icons_working with units working with units, sciencing_icons_equations &amp; expressions equations & expressions, sciencing_icons_ratios &amp; proportions ratios & proportions, sciencing_icons_inequalities inequalities, sciencing_icons_exponents &amp; logarithms exponents & logarithms, sciencing_icons_factorization factorization, sciencing_icons_functions functions, sciencing_icons_linear equations linear equations, sciencing_icons_graphs graphs, sciencing_icons_quadratics quadratics, sciencing_icons_polynomials polynomials, sciencing_icons_geometry geometry, sciencing_icons_fundamentals-geometry fundamentals, sciencing_icons_cartesian cartesian, sciencing_icons_circles circles, sciencing_icons_solids solids, sciencing_icons_trigonometry trigonometry, sciencing_icons_probability-statistics probability & statistics, sciencing_icons_mean-median-mode mean/median/mode, sciencing_icons_independent-dependent variables independent/dependent variables, sciencing_icons_deviation deviation, sciencing_icons_correlation correlation, sciencing_icons_sampling sampling, sciencing_icons_distributions distributions, sciencing_icons_probability probability, sciencing_icons_calculus calculus, sciencing_icons_differentiation-integration differentiation/integration, sciencing_icons_application application, sciencing_icons_projects projects, sciencing_icons_news news.

• Share Tweet Email Print
• Home ⋅
• Science ⋅
• Nature ⋅
• Environment

Advantages and Disadvantages of Natural Environments

What Are the Benefits of Ecosystems?

Henry David Thoreau, in his 1862 essay, "Walking," wrote: "In wildness is the preservation of the world." He recognized many of the wonderful practical and spiritual gifts people obtain from the natural environments that surround them. However, nature can also be harsh and dangerous. It provides both advantages and disadvantages to the human population in its midst. The natural world provides important services, from fresh water and lumber to the removal of pollutants. It also is, quite simply, spectacularly beautiful at times. But nature can also be extremely destructive.

Economic Advantages

Natural environments provide wonderful services to human beings, some more obvious than others. Hilly dunes and barrier islands along the shore protect the inland population from powerful tides. Rivers and lakes provide drinking water, as does rainfall that replenishes surface and underground water supplies. Marshes and wetlands filter many pollutants that would otherwise contribute to widespread contamination. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria help crops grow. Plants are continual sources of new medicines. The seas provide abundant fish to feed a growing population. Researchers have estimated that natural ecosystems across the globe provide more than $40 trillion a year in worldwide services.

Recreation, Insight and Splendor

Who hasn't gaped in awe at a magnificent sunset or a majestic mountain vista? The natural world provides people with places to play and explore, along with opportunities to examine how nature works its many wonders. Writers from the ancient philosophers to the most modern essayists and poets have remarked on the spiritual renewal that humans can find from something as simple as a walk in the woods. Almost all the world's countries have set aside natural areas as national parks, wilderness preserves and protected forestland and have taken other measures to keep natural systems intact and relatively undisturbed.

The Destructive Power of Nature

As wonderful as the natural world can be, it is not always benign. Storms, floods, earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and other natural disasters periodically wreak widespread destruction. In the United States alone, natural disasters cost more than $300 billion in 2017, chiefly from a combination of hurricanes, tornadoes, drought and wildfires. The damage done worldwide runs into the trillions of dollars. Climate change scientists predict that changing weather patterns will make storms, floods and droughts even more severe in the long term, leading to the likelihood of even greater destruction.

Harboring Dangers

Along with large-scale destruction, natural environments can pose many other types of dangers. A spiritually invigorating walk in the woods can also expose you to the possibility of a snake bite or an encounter with an angry bear. Illnesses like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever arise from the interaction of people with the natural environments in which they live, work or visit. The 2014 disease outbreak of the dreaded Ebola virus occurred when the virus jumped from its animal hosts in the wild to the human population in western Africa.

Related Articles

Where is ruby found as a natural resource, the impact of natural disasters, the disadvantages of wetland nature reserves, positive effects of floods, persuasive speech topics on water, difference between hydraulic fluid & oil, is hydropower a non-renewable or renewable resource, what is oleoresin capsicum, pollution at cape fear river, depletion of the ecosystem, the difference between ac batteries & dc batteries, coronavirus is a pandemic. here's what that means, the areas most impacted by water pollution, ways to maintain ecological balance, methods of domestic waste disposal, your latest covid-19 updates and questions answered, technological advancement and the effect on the ecosystem, the effects of human intervention on the environment, natural gas information.

• CBS News: Natural Disasters Cost U.S. a Record $306 Billion Last Year
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: About Ebola Virus Disease
• The Atlantic: Walking

About the Author

David Sarokin is an ecologist and noted environmentalist with more than 30 years experience in environmental policy. He created the nation's Right-to-Know program for chemical pollutants, and is the author of Missed Information (MIT Press, 2016), detailing how our social systems like health care, finance and government can be improved with better quality information.

Photo Credits

Thinkstock/Comstock/Getty Images

Find Your Next Great Science Fair Project! GO

An official website of the United States government

Here’s how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts .

Learn About Pollution Prevention

On this page:

• What is P2?
• Specific pollution prevention approaches
• Why is pollution prevention important?

On other pages:

• Learn more about the definition of P2.
• Explore 30 years of pollution prevention history.
• Discover what EPA is doing in P2.

Read past issues of the "P2 News" newsletter.

What is Pollution Prevention (P2)?

Pollution prevention (P2) is any practice that reduces, eliminates, or prevents pollution at its source before it is created.  As shown by the EPA Waste Management Hierarchy, P2, also known as "source reduction," is fundamentally different and, where feasible, more desirable than recycling, treatment or disposal.  It is often more cost effective to prevent pollution from being created at its source than to pay for control, treatment and disposal of waste products.  When less pollution is created, there are fewer impacts to human health and the environment.

Specific Pollution Prevention Approaches

Pollution prevention approaches can be applied to all potential and actual pollution-generating activities, including those found in the energy, agriculture, federal, consumer and industrial sectors. Prevention practices are essential for preserving wetlands, groundwater sources and other critical ecosystems - areas in which we especially want to stop pollution before it begins.

In the energy sector, pollution prevention can reduce environmental damages from extraction, processing, transport and combustion of fuels. Pollution prevention approaches include:

• increasing efficiency in energy use;
• use of environmentally benign fuel sources.

In the agricultural sector, pollution prevention approaches include:

• Reducing the use of water and chemical inputs;
• Adoption of less environmentally harmful pesticides or cultivation of crop strains with natural resistance to pests; and
• Protection of sensitive areas.

In the industrial sector, examples of P2 practices include:

• Modifying a production process to produce less waste
• Using non-toxic or less toxic chemicals as cleaners, degreasers and other maintenance chemicals
• Implementing water and energy conservation practices
• Reusing materials such as drums and pallets rather than disposing of them as waste

In homes and schools examples of P2 practices include:

• Using reusable water bottles instead of throw-aways
• Automatically turning off lights when not in use
• Repairing leaky faucets and hoses
• Switching to "green" cleaners

Why is Pollution Prevention Important?

Pollution prevention reduces both financial costs (waste management and cleanup) and environmental costs (health problems and environmental damage). Pollution prevention protects the environment by conserving and protecting natural resources while strengthening economic growth through more efficient production in industry and less need for households, businesses and communities to handle waste.

Learn more about why P2 is important .

• Pollution Prevention Home
• Learn About P2
• What You Can Do
• P2 Hub Resources Center
• Measuring P2
• Pollution Prevention Law