What are natural resources, and why are they important? This is a question many people ask, but it’s not always easy to find an answer. In general, natural resources are materials that come from the Earth and are used by people to produce goods and services.
They fall into two categories: renewable and nonrenewable. Renewable resources include things like water, air, sun, wind, and trees. Non-renewable resources include things like coal, oil, and uranium.
Renewable resources are better for the environment because they can be replaced, while non-renewable resources cannot.
In this blog post, we’ll go over the importance of natural resources and why they are so important to human society.
They Provide the Raw Materials We Need to Build and Maintain Our Society
Natural resources are the foundation of our society. They provide the raw materials we need to build and maintain our society, e.g., wood for houses, metal for tools and machinery, coal to burn in power plants, etc.
Natural resources also help support our economy. For example, when oil companies drill for fossil fuels (oil), they sell those fossil fuels on the market and receive money in return that they can use in society for other goods or services provided by other companies or people.
We all benefit from this process because it allows us to enjoy modern conveniences like electricity at home or gasoline in our cars without having to walk or ride long distances every day just to get these things!
They Are a Renewable Source of Income and Wealth
Natural resources are a renewable source of income and wealth that’s essential for sustainable development.
For example, the oil industry has created jobs for many people and generates profits that enable governments to provide services such as education and health care to their citizens.
Without natural resources such as oil, forest products, or minerals, these countries wouldn’t have the money to provide these services or create jobs that often pay very well (e.g., in the mining industry).
In addition, there would be no infrastructure such as roads and bridges to support these activities. There would also be no employment opportunities in related industries such as manufacturing equipment used by miners or ships that transport goods from one port city to another.
They Help Us Adapt to and Mitigate the Effects of Climate Change
Climate change is a global problem that requires global solutions. Climate change is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, threatening both our natural resources and our ability to live sustainably on this planet. While we cannot control the climate, we can take action to adapt to changing conditions and mitigate its effects.
For example, increased forest cover in urban areas can lower the temperature in those areas by absorbing solar heat during the day and releasing it back into space at a night-a process known as evapotranspiration (the transfer of water vapor between the land surface and the atmosphere). The same process occurs on a smaller scale when trees cover bare land in the winter months; this results in warmer temperatures than without trees nearby.
Forests help regulate climate by sequestering carbon dioxide, while wetlands can help reduce damage from floods and storms.
We must use our natural resources wisely if we are to effectively address climate change. This means using them in ways that don’t contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, such as through sustainable forestry without clear-cutting. It also means using them to adapt to climate change, for example by planting trees in areas where more extreme weather conditions are likely.
We also need to be careful about how we extract and use natural resources. If we’re not careful, we can damage the very resources we rely on to cope with climate change. For example, if we extract too much water from aquifers, we can reduce their ability to store water and make it available during droughts.
If we use our natural resources wisely, we have a better chance of managing the impacts of climate change and protecting our planet for future generations.
They Play a Vital Role in Maintaining Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, including the diversity of genetic information within species; it’s also referred to as “biological diversity.” Ecosystems are groups of interacting living organisms (including humans) and their physical environment, linked by energy flows.
Their benefits are referred to as ecosystem services – they can provide clean water or clean the air, for example. When we talk about biodiversity or ecosystem services, we mean an incredibly complex web of life that includes not only plants but also animals such as birds, mammals, insects, and others – and they all depend on each other to survive.
There’s no doubt that natural resources make an important contribution to our quality of life today – and even more so when you think about what our lives would be like without them!
They Provide Us With Food, Water, Energy, and Materials for Shelter and Clothing
To survive, humans need a source of food and water. Natural resources such as forests and grasslands help us find the food we need to survive by providing us with fruits from trees and plants or meat from animals that live there.
Water is also essential to our survival, providing us with clean drinking water and allowing us to bathe. Without natural resources such as wood or metal ores (rock that contains metals), we couldn’t build houses or make tools such as axes or knives that we need in everyday activities such as chopping wood or hunting animals for food.
They Are a Source of Medicines and Other Chemicals
Natural resources are also a source of medicines and other chemicals important to our health and well-being. Medicines like aspirin and antipyretics ( drugs used to reduce fever ) are derived from plants, while other drugs such as morphine come from the opium poppy. Chemicals such as antibiotics and anesthetics were first discovered in bacteria found on plants.
Other chemicals extracted from natural resources include rubber, which is made by extracting latex from rubber trees, vanillin, which gives vanilla its flavor, essential oils used in perfumes, turpentine (which was once used as a paint thinner), and many others.
They Are an Important Part of Our Cultural Heritage and Identity
Cultural heritage and identity are important because they help define who we are as individuals and as a society. Cultural heritage is the collective memory of a group of people that includes knowledge and traditions that have been passed down through time. It can include stories, paintings and sculptures, music, architecture, and other objects that reflect the values of past generations.
However, the importance of natural resources goes beyond their practical benefits to our economy – they are also an important part of our cultural heritage and identity.
Natural resources have been used by many different cultures throughout history to:
- paint their faces with plant dyes
- carve wood into tools or toys
- build houses from raw materials found in nature
- make clothing from animal skins
- make pottery from clay found on land or in water
- make ropes for hunting or fishing from vines growing nearby
- make weapons for hunting from rocks found nearby
For many cultures, natural resources are also an important part of their spiritual beliefs. For example, some Aboriginal groups in Australia believe that the land and its resources are a gift from their ancestors and that they have a responsibility to care for it.
In recent years, there has been an increased emphasis on the importance of preserving our natural heritage and cultural identity. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has developed a program called World Heritage to protect places around the world that are of outstanding universal value.
They Contribute to Economic Growth and Development
Natural resources are an important component of economic growth because they are used to produce goods and provide services. The production of these goods and services requires labor, land, capital, and other resources, which may include natural resources such as timber or iron ore.
Many countries export natural resources to generate foreign exchange earnings that they can use to import food and other essential goods for the basic needs of their populations.
Extraction of natural resources is also one of the main drivers of the economies of many developing countries. It’s therefore not surprising that in many developing countries many unemployed people migrate from rural areas to find work in mines or logging operations near urban centers so that they can feed their families back home.
They Provide Employment and Livelihoods for Millions of People Around the World
Natural resources not only provide food, shelter, and other goods and services we need, but they also provide jobs. Some of these jobs provide livelihoods for millions of people around the world.
These jobs include:
- Agriculture: agricultural workers include farmers who grow crops such as corn and soybeans and ranchers who raise meat or dairy products.
- Mining: Mining involves extracting different types of minerals from the earth (e.g., gold or iron) that can be used for a variety of purposes, including construction materials such as concrete or steel beams used in buildings such as skyscrapers, manufacturing processes such as glass making, jewelry making, or electronics manufacturing (e.g., computers).
- Oil and Gas: Jobs in the oil and gas industry include production workers, who work on rigs to get the oil or natural gas out of the ground, and refinery workers, who process the raw materials into usable products such as gasoline or propane.
- Renewable Energy: Workers in the renewable energy sector include those who install solar panels or wind turbines, as well as those who work in research and development to create new technologies that harness the power of the sun, wind, or water more efficiently.
- Manufacturing: Many industrial products (e.g., cars, appliances) contain natural resources that have been mined and processed by workers in various industries before being assembled into the final product.
They Are a Key Driver of Poverty Alleviation and Economic Empowerment
You probably don’t think of natural resources as an important driver of poverty alleviation and economic empowerment. But they are. They’re one of the most important drivers of global poverty reduction.
Poverty Reduction
Natural resources enable countries to reduce their dependence on food aid and other forms of foreign assistance by allowing them to produce more locally grown food, which lowers the cost of selling these goods on world markets.
This helps generate more income for farmers and households in the rural communities where these products are produced – so much so that some countries with higher levels of commodity extraction tend to have lower levels of inequality than those without!
In addition, industries based on natural resource extraction or processing often create jobs for unskilled workers who may otherwise have difficulty finding employment in their home country’s economy.
Economic Empowerment
By teaching people new skills (e.g. e.g., how best to deal with an oil spill), providing access to new technologies (e.g., deepwater drilling rigs), or simply generating additional income through exports/imports, resource extraction has helped underdeveloped countries improve their overall economies (even if it’s only a little).
They Are an Important Source of Tax Revenue
Natural resources are an important source of tax revenues and foreign exchange earnings for many countries. Natural resources are an important source of government revenue for many countries.
Natural resources such as oil, gas, and minerals can be used to generate revenue by exporting these products to other countries. They can also be used to create jobs within the country or region, for example, if you want to start a business in your neighborhood or city that produces goods from wood products or paper pulp from trees instead of importing them from other countries.
Natural resources provide economic benefits beyond just tax revenue, but also contribute to economic growth by maintaining trade relationships with other nations or regions abroad, where their exports can be sold at higher prices than domestically produced goods here at home.
They Are a Crucial Part of National Security and Defense
The United States has many natural resources that are used for the military, such as oil reserves, coal reserves, and uranium mines. These resources aren’t only important for the defense of the country, but also make up a large part of the economy.
Natural resources play an important role in our national defense system because they’re used to make weapons such as nuclear weapons and alternative energy sources such as solar panels and wind turbines.
These materials can be used by the military to protect against foreign threats while creating wealth at home through job creation and promoting international cooperation abroad through trade agreements with other countries that need these vital elements just as much as we do here at home.
Oil, coal, and uranium aren’t the only natural resources important to our national security. Metals such as iron and steel are essential for building military vehicles and equipment, while precious metals such as gold can be used to finance wars. Water is another vital resource, especially in times of drought or conflict.
They Are an Essential Input Into Many Industrial and Manufacturing Processes
Natural resources are an essential part of many industrial and manufacturing processes. Natural resources are used in everything from the clothes we wear to the cars we drive, and they form the products of many industries, including agriculture, construction, and mining.
Natural resources are used, for example, to make chemicals that can be used in production processes such as refining petroleum into gasoline or making fertilizer for growing food (corn). Natural resource products are also an important raw material for other industries:
- Agriculture: natural gas is used to make fertilizer; coal is burned to produce steam power for irrigation; petroleum is refined into diesel fuel for farm machinery; pulp or sawdust is used as a raw material to make paper products such as newsprint.
- Construction: building materials such as wood framing are often obtained from forests harvested by timber companies that use trees from farmers who grow timber on their land as part of sustainable forestry practices; gravel used to make concrete is obtained from quarries near riverbeds from naturally occurring sandstone deposits commonly referred to as “quarry stone.”
They Influence Many Aspects of Modern Life and Politics
One of the most important effects that natural resources have on modern life is their influence on economic development. A country’s economic development depends heavily on its natural resource endowment.
Countries with large oil or mineral deposits tend to be much richer than countries without such resources. In addition, the exploitation of natural resources can create jobs and generate government revenue.
However, it should also be noted that sustainable management of natural resources is essential for long-term economic development. If natural resources aren’t properly managed, they can quickly be depleted, leading to environmental degradation and economic decline.
Another way natural resources affect modern life is through their influence on politics. Natural resources can be an important source of conflict between countries.
In addition, natural resources can be used as leverage in international politics, as countries can threaten to deny access to important resources if they don’t get their way on other issues.
They Play an Important Role in Providing Energy
You may not know it, but natural resources play an important role in providing energy for transportation, heating, and lighting. Energy is needed to get from point A to point B, whether you’re traveling by car, bicycle, or public transportation.
Energy also heats our homes, offices, and other buildings that keep us warm during the winter months. Natural gas and coal are two common fossil fuels that provide energy for heating; electricity comes from nuclear power plants and hydroelectric plants (which use flowing water to generate power).
They Are a Major Source of Raw Materials for Construction and Other Sectors
Natural resources are an important source of raw materials for construction and other sectors. Iron, copper, gold, silver, platinum, and zinc are found in many countries around the world.
Manganese is also very important in industry because it is used to make steel stronger. Cobalt is another useful metal that can be obtained from mines or recycled products such as old batteries. Many of these metals are used in technical devices such as cell phones and computers, as well as in cars and airplanes.
Other natural resources include coltan (tantalum), which we use for capacitors (part of an electronic device), chromium, which we use to make stainless steel, and manganese, which helps us extract oil from deep in the ocean floor.
Some common rocks, like limestone, can also be mined for cement production or crushed into sand or gravel to build roads or houses, or even to make concrete blocks!
They Are an Important Source of Revenue for the Tourism Industry
Many natural resources are an important source of revenue for the tourism industry. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies natural resources as a key element for tourism development because they have nature-based features and can be used to create an experience that adds value for visitors.
It’s therefore not surprising that many countries around the world that have abundant natural resources have seen their tourism industries grow rapidly in recent decades.
Tourism is not just about visiting places, but also about staying in hotels or guesthouses and enjoying activities such as hiking, snorkeling, swimming, etc., which require renting equipment from local vendors or guides, for example.
These activities depend on maintaining a healthy environment so that it’s not further damaged by excessive waste generation from food consumption, etc.
They Provide Opportunities for Recreation and Leisure
Recreation is important for the human spirit. It’s a way to get out of the daily grind, get away from all the responsibilities of life, and just have fun with friends and family. Recreation also provides an opportunity to connect with nature, which can improve both mental and physical health.
In addition to recreation, natural resources also provide opportunities for people to learn about their environment through exploration or educational programs – and this can lead to a greater awareness of environmental issues and a greater appreciation of nature in general.
Another important benefit of outdoor activities is that they take our minds off technology – something we’ve become increasingly dependent on in recent years.
This means we spend less time staring at screens or sitting quietly at our desks (or other places we take our technology). This reduces the risk of developing health problems like carpal tunnel syndrome or neck pain due to poor posture while working at a computer!
They Are a Key Factor in the Protection and Preservation of the Environment
One way to use natural resources to protect the environment is through reforestation projects, which can restore forests and other environments to their original state by planting trees to replace those that have been destroyed or lost. These reforestation projects help protect air quality from pollution and improve soil health by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Natural resource use is also important for maintaining ecological diversity by providing food sources for animals that allow them to reproduce faster than if they were unable to find enough food on their own. This helps keep our planet healthy because if animals competed too much for food, fewer of them would survive long enough.
They Play a Role in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
By understanding the links between natural resource use and disasters, we can develop more effective policies and practices to reduce disaster risk.
For example, a country can develop strategies to prevent forest fires by promoting forest conservation so that the number of trees is maintained at a sustainable level and by reducing water use in agriculture, we can reduce the risk of drought.
Natural resources can also be used to mitigate the effects of disasters. For example, by planting trees in areas prone to landslides, we can help reduce the risk of these types of disasters.
Natural resources are also used to adapt to climate change because they provide food security and help people survive when there is a shortage of food due to unusual weather conditions such as drought or floods.
Natural resources help restore livelihoods after disasters. This includes restoring ecosystems where natural resources are found, reforestation efforts, and replanting programs.
They Contribute to the Development of Green Infrastructure
Green infrastructure is the network of natural resources that provide services to cities and towns. These resources include water, land, air, and plants. Green infrastructure is critical to the health and well-being of people, communities, and the environment.
Natural resources are important to green infrastructure because they contribute to its development by providing a variety of benefits, such as:
- drinking water
- reducing flood risk
- functioning as a carbon sink (absorbing carbon dioxide)
- improving air quality, promoting biodiversity
- supporting recreational activities such as hiking or canoeing
- providing habitat for wildlife such as birds or bees that pollinate plant
- providing opportunities for nature education through nature trails or signs that explain how the various elements in an ecosystem interact
This allows people to better enjoy their surroundings because they’re connected to nature and don’t just see it from a distance as an objective entity separate from them.
They Are a Source of Financing for Development Projects
Development projects are more likely to succeed if they are based on a sound understanding of the local context. Lack of information about the local context can lead to decisions that aren’t appropriate for the area in question, and this can lead to project failure.
In developing countries, natural resources can be used as collateral or commodities that allow people to borrow money at low-interest rates. You have probably heard about how oil was used as collateral to get loans from international lenders when there was no other way to get them.
They Provide Opportunities for Research and Innovation
Research and innovation are important for natural resource management as well as other sectors. These activities help us understand the complex nature of our world and enable us to make better decisions about how we manage our resources. Research can also lead to the development of new products and services that improve people’s lives.
Research, innovation, and entrepreneurship (RIE) can play an important role in sustainable development by:
- Promoting innovation-based economic growth through increased productivity, competitiveness, job creation, and improved living standards.
- Strengthening institutional capacity for natural resource management to reduce poverty.
- Strengthening ecosystem resilience through integrated management approaches that address both ecological processes and human needs.
They Promote Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns
Sustainable consumption is using products in ways that don’t threaten the environment and meet people’s needs for a better quality of life. It means finding ways to meet our current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
Sustainable production means using resources efficiently so as not to exceed their capacity for regeneration or renewal; it aims to sustain natural processes, ecosystems, and biodiversity, as well as social equity, cultural diversity, and human health.
Sustainable consumption and production patterns are important for several reasons:
- they can help reduce pressure on the environment
- they can improve human health and well-being
- they can contribute to economic development and poverty reduction
- they can help promote social cohesion and peace
There are many ways to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns. One way is to use natural resources more efficiently. This can be achieved by reducing waste, using recycled materials, and choosing products with a smaller environmental footprint.
Another way is to change our consumption habits and make them more sustainable. For example, we can buy local and organic food, shop secondhand, and buy less overall.
There are many challenges in promoting sustainable consumption and production patterns. One challenge is that they require behavior change, which can be difficult to achieve.
Another challenge is that they often run up against the interests of corporations such as the fossil fuel industry or the automobile industry. Finally, sustainable consumption and production patterns often require a long-term perspective, which is difficult to achieve in today’s fast-paced world.
Despite these challenges, it is important to promote sustainable consumption and production patterns. We must do this for the sake of the environment, our own health, and well-being, and for the sake of future generations.
They Play a Role in Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment
Women make up a large portion of the workforce in extractive industries worldwide and also play an important role in the informal sector in gathering firewood, water, and other basic necessities. In many cases, women must travel further distances to collect these resources, which can lead to time poverty and other negative consequences.
Access to natural resources is also an important factor in women’s economic participation. Women who own or control land and other assets are more likely to be economically successful than women who don’t. In addition, natural resources can enable women to start their own businesses or otherwise participate in the formal economy.
Given these links between natural resources and gender equality, it’s clear that natural resources play an important role in promoting women’s empowerment and equality.
When women have greater access to and control over natural resources, they are more likely to be economically empowered and equal in all aspects of their lives.
They Contribute to the Achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the successor of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They were adopted by all member states at an international meeting in September 2015 and provide the global framework for development cooperation.
The SDGs aim to transform our world by 2030. All member states have agreed on 17 goals to be achieved by then.
The SDGs focus on sustainable development, meaning they emphasize creating opportunities that benefit people now and in the future while ensuring they don’t negatively impact future generations or other species.
To achieve these goals, developing countries need access to natural resources such as water and energy; they also need access to technology so they can drive progress toward sustainable development.
They Are Important for Intergenerational Equity
They are important for intergenerational equity and the future of our planet.
Intergenerational equity is the principle that each generation should have access to the same or similar resources as previous generations. This is why natural resources are so important – they provide future generations with the opportunity to enjoy the same benefits we have today.
For example, if we want our children and grandchildren to have access to clean water, we need to pay attention to how we use and conserve water today. The same is true for air quality, forests, and other natural resources.
By taking care of our natural resources today, we’re not only ensuring a better future for ourselves, but also future generations.
They Give Us Oxygen, Which We Breathe Every Second of Our Day
Every second of the day, we rely on natural resources to give us the oxygen we breathe. Our lives would be impossible without natural resources.
Here’s why:
- Plants produce oxygen as a waste product of photosynthesis, the process by which they extract energy from sunlight.
- Oxygen is important for respiration, the process by which our cells obtain energy from food.
- Every single cell in our body needs oxygen to function properly.
- If we stop breathing, we die.
In other words: natural resources are essential to life as we know it. They provide not only the oxygen we need to survive, but also the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat. Without natural resources, we would quickly perish.
They Provide a Safety Net for Communities in Times of Crisis
Natural resources like timber, coal, and oil are an important part of our economy. And because we all use these resources in one way or another – whether logging for construction or mining coal for power generation – a downturn in this industry can cause significant economic disruption across the country.
But natural resources also serve as a safety net for communities in times of crisis. When unemployment rates rise and companies close their doors (or lay off employees), natural resource industries typically continue to operate, albeit at lower levels, until the economy recovers.
Because they’re so important on both an individual and national level, many economists argue that their preservation is critical not only to our current well-being but also to our future prosperity
Natural Resources Have Enabled Humans to Live Civilized Lives
Civilization as we know it wouldn’t be possible without natural resources. A few examples will illustrate this point.
First, let’s consider the importance of water. Every single person on this planet needs water to survive. We use water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing. We use water to irrigate our fields and water our plants. Without water, life as we know it wouldn’t be possible.
Then there are things like wood and stone, which are essential for building. Can you imagine building a house out of nothing but dirt and grass? That would be difficult and unsustainable! Even the earliest people needed wood and stone to build shelters and make tools.
And then there are things like oil and coal that we use for energy. Imagine if you could power your car or your TV with solar panels or wind turbines. That would be incredibly difficult! Oil and coal are essential to power our modern world.
In short, civilization wouldn’t be possible without natural resources. We depend on them for everything from the water we drink to the energy we use. They are essential for our survival.
Conclusion
Natural resources are important for the survival of humans and other species. Depletion of these resources can have devastating consequences for both humans and nature.
Therefore, we must take action to protect our natural resources and find ways to use them more efficiently. We hope this article has helped you understand the importance of natural resources and why they should be a priority for all of us.
