Natural resources have intrinsic limits due to their finite availability and the Earth’s finite capacity to replenish them. These limits are determined by various factors such as geological processes, climatic conditions, and biological interactions. People sometimes ignore these limits for several reasons: lack of awareness or understanding, short-term thinking, economic incentives, technological optimism, and shortage denial or avoidance.
1. Water
Estimate of Amount Left: Only about 2.5% of the world’s water is freshwater, and a significant portion is not accessible for human use[4]
Renewal: The hydrological cycle continuously renews water through processes like evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
Major Consumers: Agriculture (72%), municipalities (16%), and industries (12%)
Issues: Water scarcity affects many regions, particularly those in arid and drought-prone areas, leading to conflicts over water resources[4]. Water pollution from industrial activities, agriculture, and inadequate sanitation systems poses a threat to the availability of clean water[4]. From natural depletion, Earth’s oceans have lost about a quarter of their original mass over the course of around four billion years.[7]
Numerical Estimate: Volume of all freshwater on Earth: 1,386 million cubic kilometers (km3)[6]. The total mass of water on Earth in all forms: 1.35 x 1018 metric tons (or 1.35 x 1021 kg) or 0.02% the total mass of the planet.
2. Air
Estimate of Amount Left: Air is abundant, but clean air is becoming scarce due to pollution.
Renewal Rate: Continuous through natural processes like photosynthesis, oceanic absorption and atmospheric circulation.
Major Consumers: All living organisms, industrial processes, and transportation.
Issues: The emission of pollutants from various sources, such as power plants, vehicles, and industrial processes, deteriorates the quality of air, leading to respiratory and other health problems[4]. Human activities have caused the depletion of the ozone layer, resulting in increased exposure to harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
Numerical Estimate: The total mass of Earth’s atmosphere is approximately 5.1480 × 1018 kg, about 1/1,200,000 of Earth’s total mass[8].
3. Soil
Estimate of Amount Left: Soil is being degraded rapidly; about 33% of the world’s soil is already degraded.
Renewal Rate: Very slow; it can take hundreds to thousands of years to form a few centimeters of soil. Soil typically occurs at a rate of about 1 cm per 100 to 400 years, from natural processes like weathering of rocks and organic matter decomposition, depending on environmental conditions.
Major Consumers: Agriculture, construction, and forestry.
Issues: Land degradation: The expansion of agriculture, deforestation, urbanization, and unsustainable land practices contribute to erosion, loss of topsoil, and reduced agricultural productivity[4]. Soil contamination: Pollution from industrial activities, improper waste disposal, and the use of pesticides and fertilizers can contaminate the soil, impacting food safety and ecosystem health.
Numerical Estimate: Considering the Earth’s surface area (approximately 510 million square kilometers) and an average soil depth of 1 meter, the total volume of soil can be roughly estimated. Given the average density of soil (1.1 to 1.6 g/cm³), the total mass can be approximated as
4. Forests
Estimate of Amount Left: Forests cover about 31% of the Earth’s land area, but deforestation is reducing this.
Renewal Rate: Variable; depends on the forest type and management practices. Natural regeneration and reforestation efforts.
Major Consumers: Timber industry, agriculture, and urban development
Issues: Deforestation: Clearing of forests for agriculture, logging, and urban expansion reduces biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems, and contributes to climate change[1]. Habitat loss: Destruction of forests leads to the displacement or extinction of numerous plant and animal species, resulting in an imbalance in ecosystems.
Numerical Estimate: Forests cover approximately 4.06 billion hectares (ha), which is about 31% of the Earth’s total land area[9].
5. Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
Estimate of Amount Left: Finite and depleting; reserves are expected to last for a few more decades.
Renewal Rate: Non-renewable within human timescales. Formed over millions of years from ancient organic matter.
Major Consumers: Energy production, transportation, and manufacturing
Issues: Limited reserves: Fossil fuels and their extraction is finite, with reserves being depleted over time[2]. Total natural resources rents, including oil, natural gas, coal, mineral, and forest rents, are estimated as the difference between the price of a commodity and the average cost of producing it[2].
Numerical Estimate: Global Reserves – Oil 1,707 billion barrels, Natural Gas 6,588 trillion cubic feet, Coal 948 billion short tons. Annual Global Consumption – Oil 35 billion barrels, Natural gas 124 trillion cubic feet, Coal 8.28 billion short tons. Estimated Years Left at Current Consumption Rate – Oil 48.8 year, Natural gas 53.1 years, Coal 114.5 years. These estimates don’t account for potential future changes in consumption patterns, technological advancements, or the discovery of new reserves. Environmental concerns and climate change mitigation efforts may lead to reduced fossil fuel consumption before reserves are depleted.
6. Minerals
Estimate of Amount Left: Varies by mineral; some are becoming scarce.
Renewal Rate: Non-renewable within human timescales. From geological processes over millions of years.
Major Consumers: Construction, electronics, and manufacturing industries
Issues: Extraction challenges: Some minerals are located in remote or politically unstable regions, making their extraction difficult and costly[1]. Mineral rents: The World Bank provides data on mineral rents as part of total natural resource rents[2]. Human rights abuses: Mineral extraction can be associated with conflicts, human rights abuses, and unethical practices, particularly in regions where mining regulations are weak.
Numerical Estimate: Vary by mineral, but here are estimates for the total amounts of the top 5 most important minerals by production value: Total Global Production: Iron Ore 2,500 million metric tons per year, Copper 20 million metric tons per year, Gold 3,300 metric tons per year, Bauxite (for Aluminum) 500 million metric tons per year, Phosphate Rock 240 million metric tons per year. Estimated Reserves: Iron Ore Over 170 billion tons globally, Copper 870 million tons globally, gold 54,000 metric tons globally, Bauxite (for Aluminum) 30 billion tons globally, Phosphate Rock 70 billion tons globally
7. Biodiversity
Estimate of Amount Left: Rapidly declining; current extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than natural background rates.
Renewal Rate: Can be improved with conservation efforts, but many species are irreplaceable once extinct. From natural reproduction and conservation efforts.
Major Consumers: Human activities such as habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change
Issues: Loss of species: Human activities, including deforestation, pollution, habitat destruction, and climate change, lead to the extinction of plant and animal species, reducing overall biodiversity[1]. Disruption of ecosystems: The loss of key species and disrupted ecological balance can result in negative consequences for ecosystems, such as reduced pollination, pest control, and nutrient cycling.
Numerical Estimate: Estimated Total Species: 8.7 million (range: 5.3 million to 1 trillion). Identified Species: 2.13 million (Insects: About 1 million, Mammals: 6,577, Flowering plants: 369,000). Threatened Species 41,000+ of 147,500+ analyzed. Current extinction rate: Up to 1,000 times higher than pre-human levels.
8. Renewable energy sources (solar, wind, hydro, etc.)
Estimate of Amount Left: Virtually unlimited but dependent on location and technology.
Renewal Rate: Continuous as long as the sun shines, wind blows, and water flows. From natural processes like sunlight, wind, and water cycles.
Major Consumers: Energy production sectors, including residential, commercial, and industrial users
Issues: Location-dependent: Not all regions have suitable conditions to harness renewable energy sources effectively, limiting their widespread implementation. Technological limitations: Despite advancements, renewable energy technologies still face challenges regarding efficiency, cost, and energy storage[4].
9. Fish and marine resources
Estimate of Amount Left: Many fish stocks are overexploited; about 34% of global fish stocks are overfished.
Renewal Rate: Variable; depends on species and management practices. From natural reproduction and sustainable fishing practices.
Major Consumers: Fisheries, aquaculture, and human consumption
Issues: Overfishing: Unsustainable fishing practices, including large-scale and illegal fishing, have depleted fish stocks in many areas, jeopardizing food security and the livelihoods of communities dependent on fishing[3]. Pollution and habitat destruction: Pollution from industrial and agricultural activities, as well as destruction of coastal habitats, pose threats to marine ecosystems and the survival of various species.[3].
Numerical Estimate: Total Fish in the Ocean: Approximately 3.5 trillion fish. The global annual catch of wild finfishes ranges from 1.1 to 2.2 trillion fish, with a significant portion processed into fishmeal and oil.[10] Total Fish Biomass: 10 billion tons. Estimated Total Fish Species: 25,000 to 35,500 species. Identified Fish Species: Approximately 18,000 marine species
10. Arable land and agricultural resources
Estimate of Amount Left: Declining; arable land per capita is decreasing due to population growth and land degradation.
Renewal Rate: Slow; depends on soil conservation and sustainable farming practices. From natural soil formation and sustainable agricultural practices.
Major Consumers: Agriculture for food production, biofuels, and livestock grazing
Issues: Land use changes: The share of U.S. land base in agricultural use declined from 63% in 1949 to 52% in 2012, with gradual declines in cropland and more rapid decreases in grazed forestland[4]. Land degradation: Unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, and climate change lead to soil erosion and degradation, reducing the availability of productive arable land. Food security: Growing global population and changing diets put pressure on agricultural resources, requiring sustainable practices and innovative solutions to ensure sufficient food production[1].
Numerical Estimate: Total Arable Land: 1.4 billion hectares (2021). Percentage of World’s Land Area: 10.8% (2021) Arable Land per Person: 0.2 hectares per capita (2021). Total Agricultural Land: 4.8 billion hectares (2021), of which 1.6 billion hectares (12% of world total land area) is Crop Land. Permanent Meadows and Pastures: 3.2 billion hectares (25% of world total land area). Percentage of World’s Land Area which is Agricultural Land: Approximately 37%
Conclusion
Addressing the issues with limited natural resources requires a combination of factors, including education, sustainable practices, responsible policies, and collective action. Recognizing and respecting the limits of natural resources is crucial for the long-term well-being of societies and the health of the planet. Recent data and conservation efforts demonstrate increasing awareness and action towards sustainable resource management, but continued vigilance and improvement are necessary to ensure the long-term availability and health of our natural resources.
More Reading
[1] https://www.ers.usda.gov/about-ers/partnerships/strengthening-statistics-through-the-icars/natural-resources-datasets/
[2] https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/natural-resource-rents
[3] https://revenuedata.doi.gov/explore/
[4] https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/land-and-natural-resources/
[5] https://www.dni.gov/files/documents/NICR%202013-05%20US%20Nat%20Resources%202020,%202030%202040.pdf
[6] https://phys.org/news/2014-12-percent-earth.html
[7] https://www.sciencenordic.com/chemistry-climate-denmark/the-earth-has-lost-a-quarter-of-its-water/1462713
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
[9] https://databank.worldbank.org/metadataglossary/world-development-indicators/series/AG.LND.FRST.ZS
[10] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/animal-welfare/article/estimating-global-numbers-of-fishes-caught-from-the-wild-annually-from-2000-to-2019/83F1B933E8691F3A552636620E8C7A01
