This document discusses natural resources and provides information on different types of natural resources. It covers renewable resources like forests and water as well as non-renewable resources like minerals and fossil fuels. It also discusses some of the challenges with resource management, including overexploitation of forests and water scarcity. Throughout it provides facts and examples to illustrate different natural resources and sustainability issues related to resource usage.

1. SWAPNAMOY GANGULY
INTEGRATED BS-MS (UG 2)
2019/UG/033
IACS

2. NATURAL RESOURCES
The elements which are found within nature (Hydrosphere, Lithosphere, Atmosphere &
Biosphere) and that can exist in environment without human action, are known as Natural
Resources.
e.g. forest, water, minerals etc.
 Natural resources can be biotic (from living
sources, e.g. fossil fuel ) or a-biotic (non-
living sources, e.g. iron ore).
 The common classification of natural
resources is –
1. Renewable – The resource which is supplied
in nature continuously and on extraction, its
stock is replenished naturally ( but some
can’t be recovered quickly on its own if over-
exploited, e.g. Land).
Example: Forest, Sunlight, Wind.
2. Non- Renewable – The resource which has a
fixed reservoir in nature and isn’t supplied
further, so after extraction, it’s stock can’t be
restored by any means.
Example: Ores, Fossil fuels.
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3. Forests (31 % of global land) maintain many
economical services, like watershed and land
bank protection, atmospheric/weather regulation,
prevention of soil erosion- flood- draught-
storms, providing shelter to biodiversity and
many more. Forest products have consumptive
value (food, timber) as well as commercial
importance (medicine).
• Remedial measures to protect forest
resources-
i) Implementation of strict laws against
illegal usage of forest products and
regular surveillance
ii) Joint Forest Management to uplift both
nature and local people.
iii) Social Plantation and Forestry
Though forest is
considered as a
renewable natural
resource, its amount
is also carved day by
day. The prime factor
is over-exploitation
which is exceeding
the recovery rate, net
result is that only
21,67 % of our
country’s land has
green cover.
Other major challenges
for forest resource–
1.Pollution
2.Deforestation,
3.Illegal extraction of
forest products
( poaching, smuggling
of sandal wood)
4.Mining and Dams in
forests
5.Slash-and-burn
agriculture
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4. Water (71% of earth’s surface) plays very
crucial role in the sustainability of life on
this planet. Only 1% of total water is
fresh and used in Agriculture (>70%),
Industry (25%) and domestic use (<5%),
depending on regions. The sea and ocean
act as the biggest arena for fishing and
other sea-foods. It’s also the biggest
natural sink of Carbon(C). Water is the
home of a large share of global
biodiversity.
FACTS
UN estimated that by the year 2050, 4
billion people on earth will be affected by
shortage of drinking water and that will
lead to the severe conflicts among
multiple nations which depend upon a
common rivers or lakes (e.g. dispute on
Teesta water between India &
Bangladesh).
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5. Land acts as the substratum on which all
human activities take place. It is the
primary need for agriculture, industry and
human establishments. Among the soil
horizons, O, A & B are of paramount
importance for us; the lower levels
harbour minerals and groundwater.
Intensive cultivation, extreme use of
fertilizers – pesticides and over
irrigation cause soil erosion, fertility
loss, salinisation and desertification. The
degraded farmland is increasing at an
annual rate of 6 million hectares.
Ultimate result is World-wide food
scarcity.
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6. The non-renewable energy systems are-
• dependent on non-renewable natural
elements
• have been used for last two centuries
(conventional energy production).
• pollute environment massively.
e.g. the major non-renewable energy
sources are Coal, Petroleum, Natural Gas,
Nuclear energy (it is non-conventional).
The non-renewable energy systems are-
• dependent on renewable natural elements
• have been used for last few decades (non-
conventional energy production).
• create negligible amount of pollution.
e.g. Biomass-Biofuel-Biogas, Solar energy,
Tidal- Hydrothermal energy, Geothermal
energy, Wind energy etc.
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7.  Minerals are naturally occurring substances of
specific chemical composition.
 Minerals can be of any physical states,
generally extracted by mining (either
underground or open-surface).
 These are formed by perennial natural
processes, long time back, and can’t be
regenerated again without such situation of
extreme heat and pressure. So, minerals and
ores are non-renewable natural resources.
e.g. 1. Solid – Metals like iron, gold
etc.
2. Liquid – Petroleum/ Crude oil.
3. Gaseous – Natural gas.
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8. “ Nature provides a free lunch, but only if we
control our appetites” – William Ruckelshaus
But, human can’t stop his need turning into his
greed, so food scarcity, biased food
distribution and deficiency of nutritious food
cause 10.7% global population to suffer from
chronic undernourishment (FAO-2019).
Apart from conventional foods, we have to use
alternative food sources to decelerate the
rising hunger statistics.
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9. Human civilization is completely dependent on natural resources; the wheel of progress
will stop if any natural resource is completely used up and can’t be replenished. So, we
have to adopt following measures to gift our future generation a favorable world – a
Sweet Home :
1. Sustainable Development
2. Proper Resource Management Planning
3. Reuse- Reduce- Recycle of non-renewable elements
4. Waste Management
5. Extract maximum product from unit amount of resource to reduce Over-exploitation .
“ A true conservationist is a man
who knows that the world is
not given by his fathers, but
borrowed from his children “
- John J. Andubon
“ We must consider our planet
to be on loan fromour
children, rather than being a
gift fromour ancestors “
- G. H. Brundtland
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10. Photo Courtesy: INTERNET
Information sources:
1. https://www.wikipedia.org/
2. Textbook of Environmental
Studies for Undergraduate
Courses – Erach Bharucha -
UGC
3. Poribesh: Prakitik Sampad O
Dushoner Sankat – Tapan Saha
– Paschimbanga Bighyan
Mancha
4. Internet
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