Exploitation of Natural Resources

Exploitation of Natural Resources

Important for Prelims Exams:

Stockholm Declaration, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), World Wild Fund for Nature, Living Planet Organization

Important for Mains Exams:

GS-3: Exploitation of natural resources, utility of Indian philosophy, Global effort. 

October 12, 2023

Context:

  • At present, due to human carelessness or ignorance, exploitation of natural resources has increased, which has created a situation of imbalance between human life and the environment.
  • This imbalance is one of the main reasons for humans not being able to manage the things they use.
  • It is necessary to develop an understanding from the individual to the level of countries as to what is needed in a better life, how much, in what form and when, and how much benefit we can provide to others. Unless we understand this better, the problems will not be solved. Water sources, gardens, forests, lakes and other natural resources, which are considered the heritage of villages, are continuously getting destroyed. In cities they are almost on the verge of extinction.

Natural Resources:

  • Resources obtained directly from nature are natural resources. These resources are used by humans without any change. Like water, air, forest, land, minerals etc.

Control over exploitation of natural resources:

  • The basic principles for sustainable natural resource governance were implemented in the Stockholm Declaration in 1972 to prevent overexploitation of natural resources.
  • But even after half a century this manifesto did not show any significant impact.
  • In view of this, the International Resources Panel (IRP), initiated through the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), found in its survey that the global average per capita material demand has increased from 7.4 tonnes in 1970 to 12.2 tonnes in 2017.
  • According to the report of 'Living Planet' organization of 'World Wild Fund for Nature', at present the demand for natural resources by humans is much more than the supporting capacity of nature. In this modern era, human needs have increased so much that they cannot be fulfilled by natural and artificial resources.

Impact:

  • Exploitation of natural resources has been continuously increasing in the last five years. Due to this, climate change, increase in greenhouse gases and other problems are increasing.
  • The problems of melting glaciers, tsunami, snow storms, famine and unseasonal rains have increased due to this.
  • However, the United Nations, environmentalists, scientists and people associated with nature conservation have issued warnings many times about the dire consequences of indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources.
  • According to estimates, coal reserves will not last for more than two hundred years, petroleum products for fifty years, water for fifty years and mineral reserves for not more than fifty years.
  • Due to acute water problem, water war may break out in future. Especially in West Asia, where water wastage is highest.
  • Due to failure of management in Bihar, Assam and many North-Eastern states, floods cause huge loss to life and property every year.
  • Due to floods, the fertile soil of the fields gets washed away and reaches the sea through rivers. This also has a huge negative impact on the yield. Due to floods, embankment becomes a big problem every year.
  • Floods and drought are also the reasons for migration from the North-East. Flood is also one of the reasons for bad roads in many areas of Bihar.

Indian philosophy: exploitation of natural resources

  • Aparigraha is that natural law of human civilization, which provides protection to both the conscious and the unconscious. Nature conservation has been a part of our Indian way of life. All Indian thinkers adopted Aparigraha and inspired the society to follow it.
  • In the competition to exploit natural resources, man has forgotten what its side effects can be. He is not even able to understand who has to overtake him in this blind race.
  • The ideal of Indian civilization and culture is to follow Aparigraha. That is why every Indian great man has insisted on adopting it. Our intellectuals said in one voice that nature can normally feed everyone, but not a greedy person. By making aparigraha synonymous with his life, he told the world how an ideal life can be lived without greed.
  • It is noteworthy that by following this rule of Indian philosophy, can get rid of hunger, fear, crowd, competition for gathering artificial resources, greed, tendency to monopolize resources, artificiality, population explosion, unscientificity, superstition, hypocrisy, stress, diseases, violent and selfish tendencies.
  • We can say that by making just one simple word ‘Aparigraha’ a part of life, all the problems of the world can be eliminated. The meaning is clear that for tomorrow to be golden, it is important that the steps of all of us should not spoil the happy mornings.

Settlement:

  • Organizations like the United Nations should encourage market forces to use natural resources economically.
  • Organizations working for the conservation of natural resources and people engaged in environmental protection should start awareness programs regarding the problems increasing due to excessive exploitation of natural resources.
  • Instead of plundering natural resources, friendship towards nature should be adopted.
  • There is a need to curb the exploitation of coal, petroleum products, minerals and other natural resources.
  • Scientists should discover more and more alternative resources for nature conservation.
  • There is a great need for water management in Bihar. The shortage of clean drinking water in Bihar can be easily solved through water management. Besides, all agricultural and daily needs will be fulfilled.
  • In the era of globalization, creating sensitivity among common people regarding balanced use of natural resources can be effective. Central and state governments and voluntary organizations can play an important role in this.
  • Blind imitation of the western lifestyle of 'use and throw' has to be avoided and the Indian culture of non-respect, utilization and conservation of resources along with the ideology of considering nature as mother needs to be spread in every family.

Concerns:

  • Over-exploitation of natural resources has brought about an unwanted change in climate change and seasonal cycle and compensating the ecological imbalance that has arisen due to this change is a big challenge for everyone.
  • For the last several years, scientists have been expressing concern about what will be used as alternatives to natural resources after their depletion.

Conclusion:

  • Obviously, what is our responsibility for the coming generation, we have to understand in the same way as our ancestors left the immense reserves of nature safe for us by following the principle of Aparigraha.
  • In this modern era, we have been forced to completely depend on artificial resources. Even every source of air, water and energy is forced to be used artificially or in modified form. Consumerist lifestyle has become today's reality and instead of making life easier, it has given rise to new problems. Therefore, we have to get rid of it. Unless we move towards positivity and non-possessiveness, it is not possible to get rid of this problem.

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Mains Exam Question

Explain the usefulness of Indian philosophy in controlling the exploitation of natural resources.