Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as a Resource.
The process of transformation of things involves an interactive relationship between nature, technology, and institutions. Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their economic development.
Resources can be classified in the following ways:
Indiscriminate exploitation of resources by human beings has led to major global ecological crises such as global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution, and land degradation.
Sustainable economic development means development should take place without damaging the environment, and development in the present should not compromise with the needs of the future generations.
In June 1992, more than 100 heads of states met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the first International Earth Summit to address urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development.
It is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). Its primary aim is to combat environmental damage, poverty, and disease through global co-operation on common interests, mutual needs, and shared responsibilities.
Planning is the widely accepted strategy for the judicious use of resources, especially in a diverse country like India where some regions are rich in certain resources but deficient in others.
Resource planning is a complex process involving:
Irrational consumption and over-utilisation of resources lead to socio-economic and environmental problems. To overcome these, resource conservation at various levels is vital.
Gandhian Philosophy: Gandhiji voiced his concern by saying, "There is enough for everybody’s need and not for any body’s greed."
Key Milestones in Resource Conservation:
Land is a natural resource of utmost importance supporting natural vegetation, wild life, human life, and economic activities.
Land resources are used for the following purposes:
The total geographical area of India is $3.28 \text{ million sq km}$. Land use data is available for only $93\%$ of the total area because reporting for most north-eastern states (except Assam) and some parts of Jammu and Kashmir has not been fully conducted.
Continuous use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate conservation measures has resulted in land degradation.
Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms. Relief, parent rock, climate, vegetation, and time are key factors in its formation.
The denudation of the soil cover and its subsequent washing down is described as Soil Erosion.