Natural resources are materials or substances occurring in nature which can be exploited for economic gain. They are classified based on their renewability.
Resources that can be replenished or regenerated naturally over time. If managed sustainably, they can last indefinitely.
Resources that exist in a fixed quantity and cannot be regenerated on a human timescale. They take millions of years to form.
Forests are a vital renewable resource providing numerous ecological and economic benefits.
Energy is a key resource for economic development. It is sourced from various renewable and non-renewable forms.
| Energy Source | Type | Description & Key Issues |
|---|---|---|
| Fossil Fuels | Non-renewable | (Coal, oil, natural gas). Formed from ancient organic matter. Provide most of the world's energy but are the primary cause of air pollution (SOâ‚‚, NOx) and global warming (COâ‚‚). |
| Hydroelectric Power | Renewable | Energy generated from flowing water (dams). It is clean (no air pollution) but has large environmental impacts (submergence of land, habitat fragmentation, displacement of people). |
| Wind Energy | Renewable | Uses wind turbines to generate electricity. Clean energy, but has high setup costs, is intermittent (needs wind), and can cause bird mortality. |
| Solar Energy | Renewable | Energy from sunlight (using photovoltaic cells or solar thermal). It is abundant and clean, but is intermittent (needs sun) and requires large land areas for panels. |
| Nuclear Energy | Non-renewable | Uses nuclear fission of Uranium to generate heat and electricity. Produces huge amounts of energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions, but has the major problem of long-term radioactive waste disposal and the risk of catastrophic accidents. |
Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic substances with a definite chemical composition and crystalline structure. They are non-renewable.