Natural Resources and Sustainable Development PDF

THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Cercetări Agronomice în Moldova Vol. XLIV , No. 1 (145) / 2011 THE NATUR...

THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Cercetări Agronomice în Moldova Vol. XLIV , No. 1 (145) / 2011 THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Carmen ZAHARIA*, Daniela ŞUTEU, “ Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iaşi, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Environment Protection Received May 20, 2010 ABSTRACT - The use of natural resources REZUMAT – Resursele naturale şi into the productive technological processes dezvoltarea durabilă. Folosirea resurselor means the direct consumption of resources naturale în procesele tehnologice productive for satisfaction of needs of products and are în vedere consumul direct al resurselor services. The exploitation of natural pentru satisfacerea cerinţelor şi/sau resources can be performed into a complex, necesităţilor de produse şi servicii. coordinated manner, through the Exploatarea resurselor naturale poate fi simultaneous satisfaction of more realizată într-o manieră complexă şi consumption demands.The actual generation coordonată, pentru satisfacerea simultană a evidently supports the degradation and mai multor cerinţe de consum. Generaţia sometimes decreasing of natural resources actuală suportă, în mod evident, degradarea because of the past generations. The future şi, uneori, diminuarea resurselor natural, generation will support not only the actual datorită generaţiilor trecute. Generaţia cost of environment degradation, of natural viitoare va suporta nu numai costul actual al resources diminishing but also the cost of degradării mediului înconjurător, al accumulation into the environment of diminuării resurselor naturale, dar şi costul atmospheric pollutants and toxic heavy acumulării în mediu a poluanţilor metals, of losing the tropical forests and atmosferici şi a metalelor grele periculoase, biodiversity. For this reason it is necessary al pierderii pădurilor tropicale şi the actual consideration of the needs for the biodiversităţii. Din acest motiv este necesară future generation, even if that implies luarea în considerare a nevoilor generaţiei supplementary charges for political viitoare, chiar dacă acestea implică institutions that are obliged to satisfy only modificări suplimentare ale politicilor the economical, social and environmental instituţionale, care sunt obligate să satisfacă demands and needs for the actual doar cerinţele şi nevoile economice, sociale generation. şi de mediu ale generaţiei actuale. Key words: Natural resources; Cuvinte cheie: resurse naturale, mediu Environment, Sustainable development. înconjurător, dezvoltare durabilă. * E-mail: [email protected] 93  Carmen ZAHARIA, Daniela ŞUTEU result of discoveries by explorations. INTRODUCTION From this reason the process of exploration is highly linked with the The term of natural resources administration of natural resources. includes “all resources” that exist in The renewable resources possesses natural state and all systems that are proper rate of increasing or or can be useful to the man in the regeneration. Generally, the actual technological, economical and explorations supply information social circumstances (Flavin, 2002). concerning the reserves of resources. Frequently, into the economic Sometimes these informations are speciality literature and not only the precise, with a high level of certainty, term of “resources” was associated but, othertimes the information can be with the one of “reserves” that no more than probable and so subdue indicate well defined resources that to a certain error. Besides, the are known to exist. Nevertheless, the explorations against the existent data concerning the reserves are stocks are not free but expensive and subdue to frequent changes and, the information that are supplied must supplementary, seem to support a high be treated as a ‚poor input’ in the level of uncertainty. Therefore, the production process of goods from term of reserves is the most frequently natural resources. In these conditions, mentioned in the connections with the the stocks or reserves indicate that are non-renewable reserves (e.g. fossil known to be available in the future fuels, iron and non-iron ores, deposits while the dynamic of goods and of stones, marble, uranium). services constitutes an indicator of the The most used classification of current usefulness. It must be natural resources is that which divides underlined the fact that, in the case of them into renewable resources (i.e. in situ utilization, the distinction is not solar energy, wind energy, tidal so clear, because the stock is formed energy, agricultural lands, forests, air by the itself system of natural and waters) and non-renewable resource (e.g. 1000 m2 of mature oak resources (i.e. mineral substances and forest), while the dynamic of services fossil fuels). The renewable attribute can consist of the interaction with of the natural resources depends more other natural systems or people (e.g. times of the proper use of some wild life or usual pleasure or unrestrictive administrative methods, advertising activities). as the case of agricultural lands and The terminology concerning the proper storage of wastes, because natural resources was defined and some changes in the system of natural accepted clearly in the case of mineral resources can be proven to be resources and fossil fuels (e.g. coal irreversible. resources, etc.), because of the The supplementation of stocks of initiative taken over by Bureau of natural resources is generated as a Mines – An Geological Survey to 94  THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT standardizing these terms. At the manner by simultane-ous satisfaction definition of terms there are taken into of more consumer demands. account two characteristics of resources: 1- the sphere of geological knowledge; 2- the economical MATERIALS AND METHODS probability of regeneration (Flavin, 2002). This scientific paper proposes a The most complete term is that unitary manner of synthesis the of resources that is referring to the information from the scientific literature whole existent deposits, both that are together with authors’ opinions about the principal elements, exploitation, already geologically identified or are consumption aspects and national only presumed to be, both that are importance of natural resources and exploited from economical point of sustainable development of the view and into the conditions of the environment. Also, there are presented the actual market, with the modern fundamental problems in the field of technological means or not. natural resources together with the most At the evaluation of reserves of a important interdependences and natural resource is important to be connections between the sustainable considered the interactions with the development and the natural resources. other systems as well the potential irreversible changes. For example, the open mining of coals can lead to the RESULTS AND DISCUSSION complete interruption of ground water motion and the permanent exhaustion Fundamental problems in the of some rivers and wells; the acid field of natural resources. The formed through the sulphur contact principal elements that must be with the atmospheric air and can lead mentioned concerning the natural to the pollution of water reserves and resources are synthesized in the below the murder of plants and fishes figure (Fig. 1). (Zaharia, 2004). From this reasons, Moreover, in the field of natural the natural resources must be looked resources it must be considered the as component parts of some more following fundamental problems extended systems. interrogatively or globally enunciated Through the use of natural as follows: resources into the technological 1. How much and in what production processes takes place the conditions the society exists with finite direct consumption of resources with reserves of ‘in situ’ stocks, with the goal of satisfaction demand and/or renewable resources but destructive necessity of products and services. and limited systems of environment The resources’ exploitation can be supervision ? done into a complex, coordinated There are taken into account aspects on: 95  Carmen ZAHARIA, Daniela ŞUTEU Inheritances (mineral, energetical resources) NATURAL RESOURCES Economic Present or future probability of technologies regeneration, (resources’ actual exploitation) consumption and tastes Figure 1 - Principal elements concerning the natural resources 1 – the stock of some specific but these are not placed in accessible vital natural resources; this is finite places or do not belong to the (e.g., fossil fuels); principal consumer countries. In these 2 – the consumption rate of conditions, the consumer countries are reserves; this was emphasizing in last confronting with the political pressure time, having higher consumption rate and exorbitant increasing of the price comparison with the historical imposed by the holder countries of consumption rate; such stocks. 3 – the existence of some 3. The passing of humanity from important systems of renewable the utilization of non-renewable resources. resources to the renewable ones and Concerning the resources reversely. exhaustion it is known that “when the It is permanently imposing the quantity of certain used resource revising and adaptation of the increases with 5 % per year, his rate economic and social development of utilization is doubling in 14 years“ strategy of a state based on the (Negrei, 1999). production and consumption 2. The placement of known tendencies from the other states and natural resources. mainly from the high industrialized In the world exists numerous states. The behavioural models must reserves of oil, natural gases, bauxite, be reconsidered and revised in the ores of iron, chrome and are context of diminishing of non- discovering much more every year, renewable resources and reduction of 96  THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT assimilable capacity of environment 4. The evaluation of behavioural for the wastes, emissions and models concerning the utilization of evacuations of pollutants from the natural resources. productive and consumption During the time, there are known technological processes. in the world numerous examples of In agriculture was already made irrational, aggressive and/or limited the passing from the use of animal exploitation of some natural force to the use of motor power that resources. These are had permanently implies the fuel consumption, from in view when there are quantified the natural manures to the chemical economic, social and environmental synthesized ones (i.e. fertilizers), but effects of the productive and human the tendencies of returning to the consumption of natural resources. The beginnings are already pointed out sustainable development imposes the from ecological and environmental reasonable consumption of resources reasons. and the permanent regeneration of The insurance of productive and reserves/stocks of natural resources. consumption demands by the use in a 5. The correct understanding of higher manner of renewable resources the role and importance of the natural for the need of electric energy and resources and environmental services, heat is an obvious tendency into the as factors of sustainable development. European countries beginning with The development and, implicitly, the 2003 year and the strategies of the economic increasing underlines economic development in EU impose the importance of technological the increasing of the installed capacity increasing and modernization as well that use renewable resources (e.g. of human capital improvement, but in wind energy, solar energy, biomass) only few economic analysis of the (Zaharia, 2004; Zaharia and role and importance of natural raw Costachescu, 2008; Zaharia, 2008; materials and the environment as the Zaharia, 2010; Zaharia and Şuteu, purveyor but also depositary of goods 2010). But, in the last times it is and primary and secondary wastes. ascertained the fact that the use of The sustainable development imposes ‘vegetal carbon’ (biomass) becomes pregnantly the consideration of more expensive both of enormous environment protection as a necessary quantities and surfaces both compulsory demand in performing of of the high distances from forests, as each type of economic or vital well the unwanted effects against the activity. This fact implies the environment, but can be individually application of preventive measures, applied not as a global solution at a pollution control and minimi-zation in national state level. Thus, the each sector of economic activity, fact alternative solutions must be taken that is sometimes expensive but into account by the majority of the ensures the environment safe and European countries and not only. protection. 97  Carmen ZAHARIA, Daniela ŞUTEU 6. The emphasizing of increasing SO2, NxOy, CFC, CH4 etc. emitted in dependence of inferior natural the atmosphere was remarked and reserves. underlined into numerous The quality of all used ores is conventions, directives and regulation more and more diminishing acts for the environment quality comparison with those exploitive in (Zaharia, 2008). The lack of balance the past, but them exploitation impose for the normal composition of the high energetically consumptions and atmosphere generated the global sometimes unjustified in terms of atmospheric phenomena that are production costs but also perceived more and more acute by the environmental costs or taxes for whole population of the world environment pollution. The use of (climate changes, acid rains, renewable resources is an alternative destroying of the ozone layer, GHG solution where is possible physically effect). and financially or/and exist installed 8. The role of production and capacities of valorisation. consumption processes in the The problem is thus more management of natural resources vs. complex than the continuous time decreasing of the quality of natural The market had an important resources. There exist geological historical role in the intensification of proofs that confirm the fact that more the exploitation activities of natural of the poorer ores present high resources and in the establishing of discontinuity in the way in what them utilization rate. Each state appear in the terrestrial crust, adopts a proper, sometimes respectively that, after are exploitive contradictory behaviour, concerning the ores that present high “the virtues of free market”, but on concentrations of useful ores, these the other hand controlling the prices can be found into molecular forms and initiating bureaucrat regulations. extremely different and diffuse, From that the necessities to find the needing energies of 1000 until 10000 answer at questions as: Can be times higher for extraction functional the market processes in the (Surpățeanu, 2004). field of natural resources into a 7. The evolution of global responsible social manner ? What are restrictive conditions of environment the alternatives? What is the quality (i.e. climate changes, the motivation of such market processes ? exhaustion of ozone layer, The answer or critical evaluation acidification, the improper elimination of these fundamental problems in the of chemical dangerous substances and field of natural resources at local, dangerous wastes, atmospheric national or universal level will pollution, water pollution). respond maybe to existential In the last time, the importance questions with emphasizing of of reduction of the quantity of CO2, beneficial aspects or not of the 98  THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT scientific, technical, economic and respecting of environmental demands human progress, at the choice and in any economic productive or human agreement of development direction activity. (i.e. one of the three ways of The natural resources and development such as: optimality, sustainable development. The sustaina-bility or surviving (Zaharia, sustainable development and natural 2003)) and, generally, of socio- resources are indissoluble linked of economic policy and strategy or “the the society existence, of development following route” of the actual society. of the economic, technologic, social, The practical approaching, that can be human medium, and of ensuring the proven more useful in the decisions’ environment protection (Zaharia, taking, is ensuring by the concept of 2008; Negrei,1999). These maximization of benefits for interdependences are systematized conservation and protection of the into the following figure (Fig. 2). natural resources, as well as the Rational Sustainable exploitation of consumption non-renewable resources Intensive use of renewable Clean Sustainable resources sustainable Development production and Natural Resources A new behaviour of civilian society Conservation of natural stocks for Integrated the future policies generations (environment, production and consumption) Figure 2 - Sustainable development and natural resources – interdependences and connections At the most simple level, the variations) or stresses (e.g. probability as an agricultural poor international obligations) increases as country to be capable to oppose to the the reserves/stocks of natural external shocks (e.g. climate resources increase. The natural 99  Carmen ZAHARIA, Daniela ŞUTEU resources help the economies to come costs and the utilization costs back from shocks. In these conditions (www.geneva.org, 2002). the increasing of natural resources is By comparing of the concepts of the only way to the toleration. economic and ecologic tolerability it In the case of industrialized is concluded that it is more suitable to countries subdue to ecological shocks exam the keeping of a set of or stresses, there are limits of risks possibilities to rational exploitation of more flexible than those of the poor natural resources, in comparison with ones, where the rapid demographic the strict conservation to the basic increase and the low economic value of natural resources. This fact is progress have often as effect the due to the fact that the preferences narrowing of risks’ limits against the and technologies are not constant external disturbances (Diop, Leautier, during generations, so that the 2007). conservation of a basic value can be The industrialized countries proven to be excessive. possess also a much higher capacity to The diversity of demands and replace the technologies than the preoccupations on short time term, as developing countries when are well as the targets on long time term exerting ecological pressures. existed into the whole world, suggests The irrational exploitation of the fact that it not exists non-renewable resources must be a”good”or“bad”sustainable avoided if the benefits from the development, universally valid. The intensive exploitation of natural maximization concept for the net resources are very high on short time benefits of economic and social term. This represents a basic rule in development in conditions of keeping approaching of environment the natural resources and conservation using standards of environmental services vs. time can minimal safe. be useful in decisions taking. This If a resource is exploited into supposes the use of renewable tolerability parameters, his stock will resources, especially if these are poor, remain constantly in time. Contrarily, in small rates or equal with the natural the reserve will be diminishing to the rate of regeneration. The efficiency of prejudice of future generation. using the non-renewable resources This future benefit is lost must be optimized by mean of the because of a management out of technological progress. tolerability parameters, quantified into the sacrifice costs of future use that CONCLUSIONS represent the user costs or “exhaustion prizes”. The basic rule is that the The actual generation supports proper price of a natural resource evidently the degradation and must reflect the extraction costs (or sometimes diminishing of natural production costs), the environmental resources caused by the last 100  THE NATURAL RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT generations. The future generation Negrei C., 1999 – Instrumente şi tehnici în will need to support not only the cost ingineria mediului (Instruments and techniques into the environmental of actual environment degradation, of engineering), Edit. Economică exhaustion of natural resources, but Bucureşti, Romania also the cost of pollutants Surpăţeanu Mioara, 2004 – Elemente de accumulation into the environment, of chimia mediului (Elements of environmental chemistry), Edit. diminishing of fuels reserves, of MatrixRom, Bucureşti, Romania losing of the tropical forests and Zaharia Carmen, 2003 – Legislaţia pentru biodiversity. From this reason it is protecţia mediului (Legislation for necessary to accept the sustainable environment protection), Edit. Univ. development as the only safe way to “Al.I.Cuza” Iaşi, Romania, p. 17 Zaharia, Carmen, 2004 – Energia şi the actual society development, the mediul (Energy and the implementation and intensifying of environment), Edit. Univ. using the renewable resources for “Al.I.Cuza” Iaşi, Romania satisfaction of productive and Zaharia Carmen, 2008 – Energia regenerabilă – perspective, tendinţe consump-tion demands, but also the şi provocări în Romania (Renewable rational alternative use or ‘as time as energy – perspectives, tendencies necessary’ of non-renewable and provocations in Romania), resources. Volum de lucrări, Conferinţa The ensuring of natural resources Naţională organizată de Zilele Facultăţii de Inginerie Chimică şi and sustainable development for the Protecţia Mediului, Ediţia a V-a, present and future generation must „Materiale şi procese inovative”, 19- became a strategic national objective 21 noiembrie 2008, Iaşi, 472-477 gradually applied as a function of Zaharia Carmen, 2008 – Legislaţia privind protecţia mediului (Legislation for tradition, potential and natural, environment protection), Edit. technical, social and human capital Politehnium, Iaşi, Romania from each state of the world as well Zaharia Carmen, 2010 – Environmental the evolution tendencies of regional, impact of renewable energies, geographic and environmental Bulletin of Polytechnic Institute from Iași, series: Construction of development in the world. 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