Natural resources are those whose natural replacement is so slow that the existing quantities can be considered fixed and located in specific places. Two types of this type of resource can be considered:
- Those that are consumed when they are used, such as minerals and fossil fuels, whose availability decreases over time; Those that are not consumed when one of them is made, such as those of a cultural nature, archaeological and paleontological sites, mineral landscapes or historical monuments artistic.
These natural resources that can be used by man; these can be satisfied in renewable and non-renewable.
The world economy revolves around natural resources, since they are industries, trade patterns and divisions of labor; who depend on them to carry out their development. The diversity of resources facilitates the growth of the economies of nations, when they are well exploited.
Mexico is a country with a great diversity of natural resources, which allows various economic activities to be carried out in the country and it becomes attractive as a destination for Foreign Investment.
Today's economy depends on energy, and the major source of it is oil; which is a non-renewable resource, which means it will end. Reserves are the contingents of resources that can be extracted for your benefit; and the accounting of this produces severe problems due to the visible irrational variations of its use.
Taking into account that the rational exploitation of resources allows them to grow and increase their reproduction and reduce their disappearance.
Non-renewable resources, as they are scarce, tend to increase in cost and impact the sectors that use them, thereby causing tension in the economy.
The lack of these resources, which are mostly energy, means that economic sectors are immersed in changes from their infrastructure to their primary activity. This would affect the foreign decision to establish their production platforms or invest in the country.
It is important to look for an approach that allows us to avoid the shortage of natural products, as well as their maintenance and care.
There are two key points for a development plan in which the negative impact caused by lack of resources is avoided; they are sustainable human development and environmental sustainability.
Being vital factors in the economy of a country, they make up a comprehensive system; in which both parties together can lead the country on a path aimed at comprehensive growth. Significantly reducing unemployment, extreme poverty, illiteracy, lack of culture of environmental care. Through the application and implementation of environmental impact projects with a social benefit.
This entails the implementation of substitute goods, analyzing the implications that making use of them would entail towards the sectors that depend on resources, together with the technological increase. Although as such they will not be substitutes but complementary since the goods and services that nature offers are irreplaceable.
The sustainability of development processes requires the reuse of resources, renewal of capacities, exploitation of resources until reaching the generation of alternatives or substitutes to foresee the depletion of resources.
Sustainable human development must consider the person, their rights and capacities for decision-making, to achieve the satisfaction of their fundamental needs, creating opportunities for new generations. Because of this, it is necessary for the economy to grow at a rate capable of generating enough jobs, reducing unemployment rates.
The above taking into account the possibility of developing entrepreneurial projects that are friendly with nature; the lack of non-renewable resources allows the implementation of successful projects in relation to the discovery of substitute goods or their recycling.
PROMEXICO refers to Environmental Sustainability as «the efficient and rational administration of both renewable and non-renewable natural resources; promoting the well-being of current generations ”. Unfortunately, conservation efforts are often hampered by issues such as poverty, resource depletion, and environmental degradation. That is why this aspect requires coordination of public policies and compliance with them.
Undoubtedly, in future generations, environmental sustainability will be a criterion in the promotion of productive activities, since environmental impacts and risks will have to be considered when making decisions about investment, production and rules.
The norm within environmental sustainability will be to reduce non-renewable inputs at a rate equal to the speed of production of renewable substitutes. In this way, an extraction project based on a non-renewable input must be paired with a project that develops the renewable substitute. The net product of the use of the input must allow the capital that this process generates to be invested in the renewable substitute; increasing the size of the stock.
This is a basic point to improve the management of non-renewable resources and ensure the ability to manage and condition the use of non-renewable fossil resources. Procuring a sustainable environment allows reducing the use of energy sources and improving their use. Unquestionably, a very large investment in technology will have to be made, but unlike the predominant energy with which costs increase over time, this investment will be fruitful and your expenses will decrease.
At the same time, it should be considered that if this technology is of quality, its maintenance will be low cost and can be used for long periods of time, in the implementation of these means of transformation of natural raw materials and production of substitutes for non-renewable resources.
It is important to consider the possibility of finding substitutes because; In the case of Mexico, its trade balance depends largely on oil extraction; If this were to be drastically reduced, investment in infrastructure and technology would represent a loss and it should begin to base its economy on other types of sectors that allow it to stabilize its economy without unprotecting the sectors that begin to exploit.
Impact of non-renewable resources on economic sectors
Mexico has the capacity to keep its agricultural, livestock and energy production sectors balanced despite changes in resources; But losing energy resources would lose steam in international negotiations. For this reason, it is important to continue giving impetus to substitutes that are currently being developed such as Biofuel.
While several more products are being developed and improved to be implemented as substitutes for oil, the main candidates are:
- Biodiesel: Derived from vegetable oils or animal fats Ethanol: Ethyl alcohol from sugar cane Biogas: It is generated by the degradation of organic matter Hydrogen: Gas generated by the combustion of internal engines and electrochemical cells Hybrids: Two types of fuel together.
While these assets are being developed and implemented, it is important to maintain the relative stocks of non-renewable resources; This is based on three activities: the development of new economic reserves; reuse and recycling; and a reduction in demand, including substitution by other materials.
The size of relative stocks is a more difficult concept to measure than the performance of renewable resources, since it requires the calculation not only of stocks but also of projected demand; and the long-term price trend.
It is important to mention that there are continuous energy sources, such as: solar, wind, tidal, and wave. These do not run out, and they do not generate any problem in terms of sustainability. Therefore, it can be proposed as substitutes for fossil fuels; becoming an essential component of any type of sustainability strategy.
conclusion
Every day human beings who have the ability to reason must take into account what is happening and not continue to cause more damage to the environment, for that each individual must be aware of not using these resources much, because if they are not conserved in the future there would be much suffering due to the shortage of these resources that are of great importance to all.
When there is an environmental problem, it is important to use specific environmental policy measures and not trade measures; establishing the effects of scale, composition and technique, always acting in favor of the environment.
Research sources:
Bibliography
United Nations Environment Program, International Institute for Sustainable Development (2001); "Environment and Trade Handbook", Canada
Webliography
- http://www.econlink.com.ar/definicion/recursosnaturales.shtmlhttps://www.wto.org/spanish/res_s/booksp_s/anrep_s/wtr10-2c_s.pdfhttp://www2.inecc.gob.mx/ publications / books / 100 / cap2.htmlhttps: //ec.europa.eu/europeaid/sites/devco/files/methodology-environmental-integration-ec-development-handbook-200612_es_2.pdfhttps: //www.wto.org/ spanish / tratop_s / envir_s / envt_intro_s.htm
