Impoverishment of natural resouces

Natural Resource

Natural resources are naturally occurring materials that are useful to man or could be useful under conceivable technological, economic or social circumstances or supplies drawn from the earth, supplies such as food, building and clothing materials, fertilizers, metals, water and geothermal power. We may use different type of natural resource for a variety of things. There are two types of natural resources that we mostly use today: non-renewable resources and renewable resources. Nature took a very long time to create non-renewable resources. Resources that are renewable refill significantly more quickly.

Resource depletion

When a resource is consumed more quickly than it can renew itself, it becomes exhausted. Everything started with the industrial revolution. Our need for raw materials grew exponentially as our culture developed and our species created several inventions that will make our life easier. These resources come from one another. The issue is that we use resources carelessly and in excess. Simply put, our earth is unable to meet our ever-growing demands.

Resources that are diminishing

1.Water

Despite the fact that water is present almost everywhere and makes up 70% of the world, just 2.5% of that water is fresh. The remaining water is salt water and is of no value to people. The majority of that meagre amount of fresh water is present as ice or persistent snow cover. So, in reality, we only have a little portion that can be used. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1.8 billion people won't have access to clean drinking water by 2025.

2. Coal

This is a non-renewable energy source and the most used fossil fuel. There will be a peak in coal extraction between 2025 and 2048. According to a 2011 assessment, there is currently enough coal on hand to satisfy world demand for 188 years. The timescale will shorten as demand rises.

3. Oil

Global transportation would be significantly hindered without oil. As of 2010, according to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, the known oil reserves contained 188.8 million tones of oil. This oil will only be enough to meet the world's needs for the next 46.2 years, if our current demand continues.

4. Phosphorous

This material is utilized to produce fertilizers that aid in plant growth. Peak phosphorus will be reached, according to scientists from the Global Phosphorous Research program, by 2030. Phosphorous is obtained from guan and phosphorous rock.

5.Natural Gas

As of 2010, the known reserve of natural gas was estimated to last 58.6 years with the current global population.

Various measure taken by government to protect natural resource

Special purpose vehicle for Afforestation

Fly ash utilization action plan

Initiative for improving the environmental performance of coal base station

Clean development mechanism

ISO14001

1. Special purpose vehicle for Afforestation

A Special Purpose Vehicle is being set up jointly by NTPC and other Central Power Sector Undertakings as a Registered Society to take up afforestation and environmental measures in order to reduce the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

2. Fly ash utilization action plan

All the coal based power stations put together generate around 90 million tones of fly-ash per annum. The Fly Ash Mission of TIFAC has made several useful recommendations for utilization of fly-ash in the manufacture of cement, bricks, pavement materials, floor tiles, wall panels etc., and in agriculture, road construction, land-filling and back-filling of mines.

3. Initiative for improving the environmental performance of coal base station

With regard to setting up a commercial scale demonstration plant based on IGCC technology, NTPC has sent coal samples to the Department of Energy in USA to find out feasibility of IGCC with Indian coal. Thereafter, a team of officials from NTPC will visit the concerned laboratory as well as IGCC plant under operation in USA.

NTPC has achieved ISO-14001 standards for 11 plants owned by it and 2 more, being managed by it. The Company is in the process of achieving the same in case of its balance power plants.

4.Clean Development mechanism

To address increasing concerns related to the environment and to improve environmental performance, the services of Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI) have been engaged for providing consultancy services to the Ministry of Power on CDM. The terms of reference include project formulation, base line surveys for each project, negotiations with the CDM parties, identification of the counterpart CDM parties from the developed countries, cost of CO2 monitoring and verification of CO2 emission reduction and supervision of project implementation.

5.ISO 14001

Established in November 1975 for nation's Sustainable Power Development, National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) is today India's largest power utility with an installed capacity of 21,749 MW (19% of India's installed capacity) contributing to 26% of total generation in the country, with high availability factor of its power plants. Environment Management is a high priority area in the company and several Policies have been formulated to ensure generation of green power. Through persuasion of sound environmental management systems and practices , NTPC's 18 stations have been accredited with ISO:14001 certification.

Conclusion

Natural resources are elements of the environment that are essential in some way to people. The sustainable use and management of natural resources, including plants, animals, bodies of water, the atmosphere, and mineral deposits, are referred to as "conservation of natural resources." Future resources won't be available if we keep exploitation of the natural world. Therefore, it is essential to safeguard nature in order to preserve biodiversity and maintain balance. The National Forest Policy, 1998, is one of many actions and laws to conserve natural resources that are included in the Indian constitution. It involves biodiversity protection, water conservation, and soil conservation.

WRITTEN BY : TANMAY SINGHAL