NATURAL RESOURCES
DEPLETION
What does resource depletion mean?
Resource depletion or depletion of natural resources is the
destruction or usage of natural resources quickly, usually
faster than it renews. Further, some resources are non-
renewable, and this rate of depletion causes scarcity of that
type of asset.
Yes, depletion declares that the natural resources are
deteriorating, and we must be aware of saving this.
Otherwise, the day is nearer when we don’t have sufficient
raw materials, even for survival.
Causes and Effects of Depletion of Natural
Resources
According to the world counts, we are
exhausting about 90 billion natural resources,
including biomass, minerals, and fossil fuels
every year, three times more than in 1970 till
2015, and expected to increase by two times
till 2050.
Causes of Natural Resource Depletion
There are several causes which describe the main reasons for natural resource
depletion. However, the most prominent reasons are the followings:
Increased population
Do you know what the population of the world is? Well, according
to Worldometer, the worldwide population till 2020 is 7.8 billion.
Although the rate of increase has decreased from the previous years,
our world population is still advancing by 80 million people or
1.05% per year. Further, according to the latest population research,
the global community will become 10 billion in 2057.
We are born from nature, and our nature has the power to rejuvenate itself. But
recovery takes time, and we are consuming all-natural resources at a rate that it
will never get a chance to refill itself.
A large population demands a massive quantity of food, which promotes more
agricultural practices. Further, we all need land for a living.
Both Agriculture and civilization require an enormous land area on the earth,
which attracts the idea to deteriorate our forests and natural ecosystems.
Thus, as long as the population increases, we will lose our landmass, forests,
water, minerals, and other natural resources.
Careless use of natural resources
Increased population is the primary cause of natural
resource depletion. Still, will this happen if we use our
limited resources carefully?
Of course, modernization and industrialization need
more and more raw materials. But, if we can’t create
the root sources for survival, we have no right to
destroy it.
You might be amazed by listening to this. In 1972, the consumption
of natural resources was 27 billion tons, which has increased to 100
billion tons this year (including recycled materials).
Globally, the exhausted minerals include iron ore, coal, bauxite, and
potash. And these are the non-renewal natural resources.
Furthermore, according to recent statistics, the United States is the
top consumer of water. Due to limited freshwater resources, it is
expected that most parts of the world, including developing
countries, will face problems regarding water scarcity.
Contamination of natural resource
Pollution is one of the primary causes of natural resource depletion.
As compared to the past decades, the most dangerous consequences
are seen through the contamination of air and water.
Besides, several other types of contaminants cause soil, noise, and
radiation like pollution. In air pollution, Bangladesh is said to be the
most polluted country in 2019. And Delhi, India as the most polluted
city globally.
You can also see statistics on pollution of our most valuable assets;
This reveals the reality that not only we are wasting a considerable
amount of our natural resources, but we are also making it
unavailable for use by different types of contaminants.
Deforestation
Forest is our most valuable asset on which we are
dependent directly or indirectly. All the materials
we are using or consuming are extracted from the
forests. Still, we underestimate its existence and try
to destroy it for our greed.
According to the Food and Agriculture
Organization, the annual deforestation rate is
around 1.3 million km2 per decade worldwide.
Further, the top reasons for it are agriculture (~80%), new constructions
(~15%), and urbanization (~5%).
From these data, it’s evident that deforestation is the primary cause of
instability in our ecosystem, soil erosion, species extinction, loss of
biodiversity, climate change, global warming, and all the worse kinds of issues
we are facing nowadays.
Miserable agricultural practice
Miserable agricultural practice
Last but not the least cause of natural resource depletion is the unintelligent use of
chemicals for fulfilling the food need of the large population.
Yes, land plays a significant role for us; It serves us food, and we live on it without
overthinking. Still, we are experimenting on it by applying large quantities of pesticides,
herbicides, and fertilizers.
This not only contaminates the quality of foods we are eating but also becomes the reason
for soil infertility.
Further, these destroy the soil microorganisms, crucial for maintaining the soil’s nutrients
and making it fertile.
This is the huge reason why we lack phosphorus at a tremendous rate, which is an essential
mineral for the healthy growth of plants and crops.
Effects of Depletion of Natural Resources
After knowing what causes the depletion of natural resources, we are now ready to grasp
the consequences we are facing and what we will face in the future. Let’s see one by one.
Climate change
Climate change and global warming are two alternative words used for describing the same
kind of problem. Due to our natural forests’ depletion, which are our significant natural
resources, lots of issues are arising in a chain.
Climate change is the change in the local weather over decades, which hampers our daily
life. The global temperature has increased by 2º than it ever existed. So this is the most
significant consequence of natural resource depletion
Oil and mineral depletion
Due to the increased population, there is a need for fuels for several purposes
and minerals for survival. As a result, lots of mining activities are going on.
However, oil and minerals are the non-renewable natural resources, and their
depletion will lead us to severe damage in the future.
These resources necessitate millions of years to form, and with the rate at
which we are utilizing fossil fuels and minerals, the day is not far when we
will face scarcity of these.
Instability in the ecosystem
Further, the result of natural resource depletion is instability in the
ecosystem. Due to deforestation, forest ecosystem loss occurs; This
causes instability in food chains and food waves, and thus species
fragmentation, extinction like issues arise.
Scarcity of drinking water
effects-of-depletion-of-natural-resources
Effects of Depletion of Natural Resources – Water Scarcity – Save Water
Another enormous consequence of natural resource depletion is the scarcity of drinking
water. As the water pollution rate increases, there will not be a pure source of drinking
water.
Again the groundwater resources are losing due to the cutting of forests and soil pollution;
This is because rapid agriculture on a single land causes the removal of the topsoil. And
trees help rainwater to penetrate deeper into the soil.
Many countries are already there that are not reachable to portable water, and if this
continues soon, all developing and developed countries will also face water scarcity.
Protection of Natural Resources
The measure should be taken for the sustainable use of natural resources.
We should switch to sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar energy rather than
using fossil fuels.
Moderate mining activity.
Deforestation should be equal or less to the activities of reforestation.
For protecting our fishes as part of the aquatic ecosystem, we should practice sustainable
fishing.
Further, we should take measures against food wastage.
Strict measures should be taken to control the contamination of our natural resources like
water.
Also, we should reduce our plastic usage and learn the act of recycling.
To spread awareness for the conservation of natural resources.
Increase use of renewable resources as they are environment friendly.
“All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if
environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.”
Kofi Annan
Resource depletion can be defined as the consumption of resources faster than they can be replaced.
Natural resource depletion can be divided into the depletion of renewable as wells as in the depletion of non-renewable resources.
Resource depletion can cause many adverse effects on our environment.
Types of Resource Depletion
Deforestation
Mining
Aquifer depletion
Contamination of resources
Slash-and-burn agriculture
Overconsumption
Our natural resources are the soul of our earth, and we all depended on them directly or indirectly. Therefore, it’s our responsibility to take control measures and find the right solution
for the depletion of all natural resources.
As the most intelligent creature of the universe, let’s take a vow to spread awareness for protecting our natural resources. In that way, it will remain for longer.
THANK YOU!
DARLENE JOY ALISTE- MENA
Discussant