Question

Challenges to sustainable management of natural resources

Answer 1

Much of the improvement in living standards in developed and developing countries is attributable to the exploitation of nonrenewable and renewable resources. The problem is to know when the exploitation occurs at rates and with technologies that are sustainable. If the technologies used are not sustainable, resource exploitation presents a serious problem for the future because welfare will decrease. A long-term management perspective is needed to avoid irreversible degradation of renewable resources. This article examines major challenges to natural resource management as well as policy options.

Answer 2

Answer :

i. We should manage our resources wisely to prevent them from getting depleted so that both present and future generations can be benefitted from them. This is called sustainable management of natural resources.

ii. The management of natural resources for future use is a sustainable practice. The judicious use of natural resources in present generation enables the future generation also to use them for their benefits.

iii. There should be an equitable distribution of resources because everyone has equal rights to use natural resources and gets benefits from them. Everyone whether rich or poor has equal rights to get benefits from natural resources.

iv. Forests and wildlife are a rich source of biodiversity. They maintain an ecological balance in nature. Forests provide us various valuable products like honey, medicines, lac, gums, resins, wood, prevent soil erosion and flood, brings rainfall, release oxygen to the atmosphere which is a life supporter. Forests are the habitat of a variety of living organisms. Loss of biodiversity would lead to ecological imbalance. V. We should adopt 3Rs techniques Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to conserve our resources.

vi. We should conserve reserved forests and wild life in reserved areas like sanctuaries, National parks, Biospheres. The government should enforce Law for punishment to anyone who kills animals as well as who cut trees.

vii. We should harvest rain water to increase our ground water table and meet the demands of water at the time of scarcity.

viii.We should switch to alternative sources of energy like solar, wind, water, biomass energy to reduce consumption of fossil fuels.