Natural resources are those units and systems (inanimate and living nature) that are used by mankind to ensure their livelihoods, as well as to satisfy their material or cultural needs.
Human civilization has long used nature for its own purposes, and the higher the prevalence of technocracy, the more natural resources are required. Also, demographic features affect PR consumption: more people require more consumption of natural elements and systems.
Natural resources: classification
Some researchers (for example, V. Protasov) use only three parameters in order to classify natural resources: by source of origin, by use in production and degree of exhaustion. An even narrower classification refers to the natural-typological and industrial principle, where exhaustibility is determined and a determination is made from this starting point. We suggest considering a broader type of classification.
Classification of natural resources by origin
- Natural ingredients. This includes components of animal origin, plant and soil, as well as water , mineral and climate.
- Natural-territorial (complexes). They differ in the complex structure of the elements: water management and mining and industrial complexes.
As we can see, here the origin of PR is divided into 2 types: single components are separated from the complex of elements.
Classification of natural resources by type of economic use
This includes resources for use in agriculture or industry. In the first case, water is used to irrigate fields, land for growing plant resources or placing animals. Those. agricultural resources include land, plant and climate.
For industrial production , both energy (combustible minerals) and non-energy resources (water, forest, land, mineral) are used.
Exhaustible classification of natural resources
Three categories are distinguished here:
- renewable;
- not fully renewable;
- not renewable.
Non-renewable PRs include oil, earth, and minerals. Currently, scientists are working on methods for solving this problem, however, it is not possible to eradicate it completely at the present stage.
Not fully renewable resources relate to flora and fauna. So, there is a Red Book in which endangered species are listed. In developed countries, there is sponsorship of the environmental industry, which is engaged in increasing the population of endangered species.
Renewable resources do not pose a problem for our civilization, these include those animals and plants, the amount of which is under control and corresponds to economic consumption.
Interchangeability classification of natural resources
Here, only 2 types of PR are distinguished:
- interchangeable;
- irreplaceable.
The first category includes those resources that can be replaced by others (for example, fuel is replaced by other energy-containing substances and materials).
Indispensable include, first of all, air and fresh water. These resources, if they cannot find a replacement, can become one of the biggest problems of mankind in the future, since life is impossible without them.
Thus, based on the general classification, it can be concluded that the characterization of natural resources depends primarily on what activity it is created to satisfy: for example, production goals involve evaluating raw materials that can be used for production. The scientific classification of PR is characterized by a generalized division of resources with a wide coverage: starting from the atmosphere and ending with groundwater. Economic classification focuses on plant, water, land and animal resources. However, there is one parameter that unites all types of classification: potential, which includes the range of prospects for using a particular resource.