Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
Sustainable management of natural resources is one of the best ways of ensuring the conservation of these invaluable resources for future generations. Factors like human activity and climate change have continuously put pressure on the existing resources and even claimed the depletion of some. However, these resources play a key role in the ecosystem and their destruction not only threatens the existence of humans, plants and animals but the entire planet. This implies swift and effective measures should be in place so as to reduce the looming threats, while also trying to repair the damage already done to the surviving natural resources.
There are various kinds of natural resources spread across several parts of the world. Some of the most common natural resources include water, oil, wood, minerals, air, and wind energy among others. These resources are critical in the survival of the earth and all that live in it. It is through the resources that we are able to get food, fuel, energy and water for home and industrial operations, fresh air to breathe among other needs.
In fact, our social, economic and environmental health relies on the management of natural resource. As a result of this, the responsibility for sustainable management of these resources do not only lie with policy makers but every individual.
Areas of Focus in the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
In many cases, the goals of sustainable management of natural resources have not been effectively achieved due to a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is because of the general perception that has been given to the issue. In order to understand the state of natural resources, there are certain specific areas that should be focused on.
The following are some of the key indicators of the state of natural resource management;
- Economic and ecological interrelationships in ecosystems management
- Carbon emissions, climate change and bio-energy
- Valuation of ecosystem services
- Management of multi-use natural resources like national parks, game reserves
The main objective of sustainable natural resource management is to conserve them for the generations to come.
How to achieve Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
We rely on natural resources to supply our basic needs ranging from food, shelter, clothing, healthcare and energy. However, not much has been done to ensure the sustainability of these resources. In fact, we have not treated nature with the same kindness that it has served us with over the years. In order to ensure a sustainable society, we have to recognize the impacts of our lives on nature, the resources it offers and take necessary actions towards reducing the risks.
Researchers and scientists have been on the job to come up with measures for conserving a variety of the natural resources that are greatly threatened like water, soil, biodiversity and vegetation.
Today, governments and agencies have also formulated policies towards the sustainable management of nature. Although the policies vary from one country to another, they generally focus on reducing the strain on natural resources. These policies focus on advocating for the use of recycled products, cutting down the rate of carbon emissions, protection of water bodies and forests. Another key area of focus is the regulation of mining activities to ensure that the resources are not depleted.
Challenges Facing Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
Despite the various policies and actions that are being taken towards the conservation of natural resources, there is a series of challenges that have hindered the realization of the objectives. Some of the challenges are within reach while others are also uncontrollable. The following are some of the main challenges faced in the management of natural resources.
- Poor environmental practices
- Drought conditions
- Rapid population growth inserting pressure on existing resources
- Conflicts in the making of decisions regarding natural resource allocation and use
- Lack of adequate policies, regulations, strategies and structures
Even as the global campaign towards sustainable management of natural resources continue to build up, it is clear that more appropriate measures are still required. For a sustainable society that can guarantee our social, economic and environmental well being, we should start looking at the conservation of nature as an individual responsibility.
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References
http://www.gao.gov/challenges/naturalresources.pdf
http://www.landlearnnsw.org.au/production-chains/nrm/case-study
http://www.rti.org/page.cfm/Sustainable_Management_of_Natural_Resources
http://www.un.org/en/land-natural-resources-conflict/offer/eu-un-partnership-offer.shtml