Natural resource
A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as freshwater, air, or any living organism such as a fish, or it may be transformed by extractivist industries into an economically useful form that must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, rare-earth elements, petroleum, timber and most forms of energy.Extractive industries represent a large growing activity in many less-developed countries but the wealth generated does not always lead to sustainable and inclusive growth.People often accuse extractive industry businesses as acting only to maximize short-term value, implying that less-developed countries are vulnerable to powerful corporations.These present opportunities for international governmental agencies to engage with the private sector and host governments through revenue management and expenditure accountability, infrastructure development, employment creation, skills and enterprise development, and impacts on children, especially girls and women.[8] A strong civil society can play an important role in ensuring the effective management of natural resources.Norway can serve as a role model in this regard as it has good institutions and open and dynamic public debate with strong civil society actors that provide an effective checks and balances system for the government's management of extractive industries, such as the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global standard for the good governance of oil, gas and mineral resources.[10] In recent years, the depletion of natural resources has become a major focus of governments and organizations such as the United Nations (UN).[11] In regards to natural resources, depletion is of concern for sustainable development as it has the ability to degrade current environments[14] and the potential to impact the needs of future generations.This is seen in the cited quote given by Theodore Roosevelt, a well-known conservationist and former United States president, who was opposed to unregulated natural resource extraction.Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction.
Primary sourcerainforestMarquesas Islandsnutrient cycleMount KinabaluMalaysiahydroelectric generationwave powerrenewable energydesalinationUdachnaya pipeopen-pitdiamondSiberiaresourcesnaturesunlightatmospheremineralsvegetationwildlifenatural heritagenature reservesthe rainforest in Fatu-Hivabiodiversitygeodiversityextractivist industriesmetal oresrare-earth elementspetroleumtimberenergyrenewablenon-renewable resourcesdepletionoverconsumptionResource extractionSustainable Development Goalscircular economyrecyclingUnited Nations Framework Classification for ResourcesownershipBioticbiospherefisherieslivestockFossil fuelsorganic matterAbioticinorganic materialcoppersilverwood processinghydrogen vehiclesRenewable resourcessolar energyWhite NileUgandageological timeprivatelyplantationspasturescommunityCemeteriesnationpolitical boundariesExclusive economic zoneinternational organizationsInternational watersExtractivismtraditional useprimary sectorraw materialadd valuehuntingtrappingminingoil and gas drillingforestryDutch diseaseresource cursesustainableinclusive growthrevenueprivate sectoremployment creationenterprise developmentExtractive Industries Transparency InitiativeThorntonbank Wind FarmBelgiumExploitation of natural resourcesdepletion of natural resourcesUnited Nationssustainable developmentfuture generationsTheodore Rooseveltsocial inequityecosystem servicespetroleum extractionfishingagriculturedesertificationEnvironmental protectionWorld Charter for NatureConservation biologyspecieshabitatsextinctionnatural resource managementUniversity of California, San DiegoMichael E. SouléHabitat conservationland managementconservehabitatplantsanimalsconservation reliant speciesfragmentationUnited Nations Resource Management Systemquality of lifeWorld Resources ForumAsteroid miningCitizen's dividendConservation (ethic)Cultural resources