Natural Capital: Elements and Components

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What is the primary function of natural capital in relation to human economies?

To allocate resources efficiently among different industries

To support and sustain human life and economic activity (correct)

To provide a means of exchange for goods and services

To regulate the environmental impact of human activities

What is an example of a perpetual natural resource?

Solar energy (correct)

Fertile soil

Fresh air

Crude oil

What are natural services, in the context of natural capital?

Goods provided by the environment, such as timber and minerals

Human-made systems that mimic natural processes

Processes in nature that support life and human economies (correct)

Energy sources, such as fossil fuels and nuclear power

What is the primary source of energy that supports almost all life on Earth, according to the text?

Energy from the sun Signup and view all the answers

What is the correct classification of fresh air and fertile soil, in terms of natural resources?

Renewable resources Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary cause of environmental degradation?

The consumption of resources at a rate faster than their natural renewal Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the capacity of a biologically productive area to generate a supply of renewable resources and absorb its wastes?

Biocapacity Signup and view all the answers

What is the result when a country's ecological footprint is greater than its biocapacity?

Ecological deficit Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the maximum number of people the earth can support without being degraded?

Carrying capacity Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor affecting the growth rate of a population?

Fertility rates Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of a population exceeding its carrying capacity?

Hunger, disease, and death Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between a country's ecological footprint and its biocapacity when it is living sustainably?

Ecological footprint < biocapacity Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor limiting the earth's carrying capacity?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the growth characterized by multiplications, not additions?

Exponential growth Signup and view all the answers

What are the three Ps that need to be balanced to achieve environmental sustainability?

People, planet, and profit Signup and view all the answers

Natural Capital: Elements and Components

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