Resources depletion refers to the situation where the consumption of natural resources is faster than it can be replenished.
The natural resources of a nation can be divided into renewable resources and non renewable resources. Current patterns of energy and natural resource use, agricultural practices, and urbanization appear to be largely unsustainable and require urgent remediation.
Consumption pattern, if not addressed, will lead to irreversible climate change and declined economic growth, as a result of increased social, economic, and environmental costs and decreased productivity.
In order to achieve economic growth, developing countries are abusing their lands on the grounds of economic interests. Whether in the form of air and water pollution, deforestation and soil erosion or the extraction of natural resources itself, the fact is that developing countries are sadly accounting for remarkable depletion of natural resources.
It seems evident that much of the economic growth activities enforced by governments, account for significant resource depletion. Additionally, developing countries remain largely dependent on exports of natural resources to generate economic dividends. Withstanding, pulling raw material from forests to fulfil exportation needs is subject to enormous domestic and international pressure, causing overexploitation of the natural resource base.
Furthermore, it is highly relevant to add that the disproportional level of resource exploitation is being caused due to economic policies. Resource utilization has always been part of human history; however, the acceleration of economic growth activities together with the pursuit of an urgent economic development is the core cause of resource overexploitation.
Factors such as overpopulation, poor farming practices, pollution and logging have been a critical factor in accelerating the depletion of natural resources as well.
An increase in populace leads to fewer jobs and poorer performance overall. People start to irrationally exploit natural resources that even though beneficial their economy, it ends up affecting our environment as a whole. Also, approximately only 2.5% of the world's total water volume is fresh, of which 70% is frozen. Our drinking water may shortage, as well as food, which would end up in famine. On the other hand, an estimated 18 million acres of forests are destroyed each year. Deforestation contributes 12 to 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions annually, where fauna would also be affected. All of these factors and aspects mentioned before affect our community as a whole.
No matter where you are from, your social status, nor your position in society, this is a global issue we need to face together. We’re the ones to blame, and also the ones that need to fix it. We need to incorporate as many pathways as they’re needed in order to be able to save our Earth.
By Luis Melo and Valentina Quintero,
Step 8 Yellow Project Class.
