Why Is Natural Resource Management Vital for Our Future?
Things that are available around us in the environment and which are used by human beings for survival and commercial purposes can be referred to as natural resources. It includes a vast array of resources such as fossil fuels, water, forests, wind, precious metals, and stones. Based on their origin, natural resources can be classified into two types – biotic and abiotic.
Biotic resources refer to those which are either obtained or have originated from living organisms. For instance, we collect timber from trees. Petrol is derived from petroleum which has formed from decayed remains of living organisms. On the other hand, non – living material found in nature, such as metals, stone, water, air are known as abiotic resources.
Additionally, natural resources can also be classified based on their renewability. Some natural resources such as air, solar energy and water can be replenished. Human consumption does not affect their availability on earth. In contrast, the availability of non-renewable resources is limited as they take a lot of time to form in nature. Consequently, there is a chance that non-renewable resources may get exhausted if their use is not regulated. This gives rise to the need for natural resource management and conservation.
Need for Natural Resource Management
The need for the proper conservation of natural resources has been a source of debate for quite some time now. You too may be wondering why we need to manage our natural resources.
Natural resources have become an undeniable part of human society as we know it. It cannot function efficiently if any of these resources get completely exhausted. For instance, cars and numerous other machineries run on petrol and coal.
Since no suitable alternative resources have been discovered yet, scarcity of any of the above will lead to severe consequences such as a sharp increase in the price of transportation. It will also lead to increase in food prices as the price of transporting food from one place to another will increase, which will lead to starvation.
Thus, from the above example, we can see that depletion of natural resources can have severe social, economic as well as environmental consequences. Hence, there is an immediate need for natural resource management not just for the present but for the future generation too.
Aim of Resource Management
Natural resource management can be defined as sustainable utilisation as well as regulation and protection of available natural resources. So what is sustainable management of natural resources? It means use of natural resources efficiently without harming the environment or compromising with the needs of future generations.
Notably, there are various programmes for natural resource management in India. These are crop diversification, organic farming, soil and water conservation – participatory watershed management, nutrient and bio waste management, weed management and so on.
Now that you know what is natural resource management, you will be able to understand its main objectives which are as follows –
It focuses on how human beings interact and depend on nature for livelihood. Besides, It also understands that their actions play an essential role in conservation and management of resources.
Regulating a vast array of activities that makes use of natural resources which includes land use, water management, managing fisheries, conservation of flora and fauna.
Planning for optimal use of natural resources for present and future sustainability of several industries.
There are several principles of natural resource management. They are – legitimacy, transparency, fairness, integration, capability, adaptability, inclusion, accountability. They are the governing principles behind NRM.
Approaches to Natural Resource Management
There are several approaches applied to sustainable management of natural resources. These are as follows –
Integrated Natural Resource Management – this refers to regulating the use of natural resources in a systematic manner. This approach involves various aspects of the use of natural resources such as socio-political, economic, and biophysical to meet the requirements of stakeholders along with focusing on the conservation of the environment.
It involves everyone from local groups to various institutions and even the government in its planning stage. It also takes into account the poor and marginalised into the decision-making process.
Adaptive Management Approach – this flexible approach of resource management follows the process of planning, performing, learning based on past performance and adapting according to what has been learned. The main components are as follows – collection of data, evaluation of the data which is collected, risk management, community engagement and offering opportunities for collaboration.
Community-based Natural Resource Management – this approach understands that a community is dependent on the ecosystem and vice versa. Therefore, this approach incorporates a community’s participation in making decisions as well as the conservation of their environment. The main components of this approach are –
Effective collaboration and coordination between government, community, NGOs and other participants.
Coming together to find and analyse data and deciding on a course of action based on it.
Facilitating learning, trust and accountability through monitoring natural resources and applying decisions
You will find related articles on this topic on our website. It will enable you to gain a better understanding of the importance of effective resource management concepts mentioned in this article.
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FAQs on Natural Resource Management: Key Principles and Strategies
1. What are natural resources, and how are they classified according to the CBSE syllabus?
Natural resources are materials and substances that exist in the environment naturally, without any human action. For our survival and development, we depend on these resources. As per the CBSE curriculum, they are broadly classified into two main types:
- Renewable Resources: These are resources that can be replenished over time, either naturally or with human effort. Examples include sunlight (solar energy), wind, water, forests, and wildlife. However, even these can be depleted if used faster than they are renewed.
- Non-renewable Resources: These are resources that exist in a fixed quantity and cannot be easily replaced or regenerated once they are consumed. They are formed over millions of years. Key examples are fossil fuels like coal and petroleum, and minerals like iron ore and copper.
2. Why is the management of natural resources considered essential?
The management of natural resources is essential for several critical reasons:
- To Ensure Sustainability: It ensures that resources are used wisely and are available for future generations, not just the present one.
- To Maintain Ecological Balance: Over-exploitation of any resource can disrupt ecosystems, leading to environmental problems like deforestation, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity.
- To Ensure Equitable Distribution: Proper management helps in the fair and equitable distribution of resources among all sections of society, preventing a situation where only a few wealthy individuals control them.
- To Minimise Environmental Damage: The extraction and use of resources can cause pollution and waste. Management includes strategies to minimise this damage and dispose of waste safely.
3. Explain the concept of the '3 R's' for conserving natural resources.
The '3 R's' are a fundamental principle of natural resource management aimed at minimising waste and environmental impact. They stand for:
- Reduce: This means using less of a resource. For example, switching off lights and fans when not in use to reduce electricity consumption, or avoiding unnecessary purchases.
- Reuse: This involves using items again for the same or a different purpose instead of throwing them away. For instance, using old jars for storage or reusing plastic bags.
- Recycle: This is the process of converting waste materials into new products to prevent the consumption of fresh raw materials. Examples include recycling paper, plastic, and glass.
4. What is sustainable development in the context of natural resources?
Sustainable development is a development model that aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In the context of natural resources, it means utilising resources like forests, water, and minerals in a way that does not lead to their depletion or cause irreversible environmental damage. It seeks a balance between economic growth, social equity, and environmental protection.
5. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of constructing large dams?
Large dams are built for irrigation, electricity generation, and flood control. However, they have significant pros and cons:
- Advantages: They ensure a year-round supply of water for agriculture, generate large amounts of hydroelectric power, and help control floods in downstream areas.
- Disadvantages: They lead to major social problems, such as the displacement of large populations. They cause significant environmental damage, including deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and disruption of aquatic ecosystems. There is also the economic issue of investing huge amounts of public money with often disproportionate benefits.
6. How is rainwater harvesting a better alternative to large-scale water management projects in many regions?
Rainwater harvesting involves capturing and storing rainwater for later use, which offers several advantages over large dams, especially at a local level. It recharges groundwater levels, which prevents them from depleting. Unlike large dams, it does not displace communities or destroy large ecosystems. It is a decentralised and cost-effective method that empowers local communities to manage their own water resources, reducing their dependency on government-supplied water and preventing water conflicts.
7. Why is the participation of local people crucial for the effective conservation of forests?
The participation of local people is crucial because they have a direct stake in the health of the forest and possess generations of traditional knowledge about it. When local communities are involved, conservation becomes more effective and sustainable. For example, the Chipko Andolan was a grassroots movement where local villagers successfully protected forests from commercial logging. Involving them ensures that conservation efforts align with their livelihood needs, turning them into guardians of the forest rather than exploiters.
8. What are the long-term environmental consequences of our heavy reliance on fossil fuels like coal and petroleum?
Our heavy reliance on fossil fuels has severe long-term consequences. Burning coal and petroleum releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which is a primary driver of global warming and climate change. It also releases pollutants like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen, which cause acid rain, damaging forests, soil, and buildings. Furthermore, since these are non-renewable resources, their eventual depletion will lead to a major energy crisis if sustainable alternatives are not developed and adopted.
