Editing Natural resource (section)

==Depletion==
[[File:Windmills D1-D4 - Thornton Bank.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Wind is a natural resource that can be used to generate electricity, as with these 5&nbsp;MW wind turbines in [[Thorntonbank Wind Farm]] {{convert|28|km|0|abbr=on}} off the coast of [[Belgium]].]]
{{See also|Exploitation of natural resources}}

In recent years, the [[depletion of natural resources]] has become a major focus of governments and organizations such as the [[United Nations]] (UN). This is evident in the UN's Agenda 21 Section Two, which outlines the necessary steps for countries to take to sustain their natural resources.<ref name="UN 2002">{{cite web |title=UN 2002 Earth Summit Agenda 21 The United Nations programme for action from Rio: Section Two – Conservation and Management of Resources for Development, United Nations, Rio |url=https://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/res_agenda21_09.shtml |publisher=Un.org |date=12 September 2011 |access-date=2016-12-12 |archive-date=2019-10-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010221701/https://www.un.org/esa/dsd/agenda21/res_agenda21_09.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The depletion of natural resources is considered a [[sustainable development]] issue.<ref name="Schilling">Schilling M and Chiang L 2011 The effect of natural resources on sustainable development policy: The approach of non-sustainable externalities. Energy Policy 39: 990–998</ref> The term ''sustainable development'' has many interpretations, most notably the Brundtland Commission's 'to ensure that it meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of [[future generations]] to meet their own needs';<ref>{{cite web |title=UN 1987 'Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development: Our Common Future' UN Documents: Gathering a body of global agreements |url=http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm |publisher=Un.org |date=12 September 2011 |access-date=2016-12-12 |archive-date=2019-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190517002735/http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> however, in broad terms it is balancing the needs of the planet's people and species now and in the future.<ref name="UN 2002"/> In regards to natural resources, depletion is of concern for sustainable development as it has the ability to degrade current environments<ref>Salvati L and Marco Z 2008 Natural [[resource depletion]] and economic performance of local districts: suggestions from a within-country analysis ''Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology''. 15(6): 518–523</ref> and the potential to impact the needs of future generations.<ref name="Schilling"/>

{{quote box
|quote=''"The conservation of natural resources is the fundamental problem. Unless we solve that problem, it will avail us little to solve all others."''|source=[[Theodore Roosevelt]]<ref>Theodore Roosevelt, Address to the Deep Waterway Convention
Memphis, TN, October 4, 1907</ref>
|width= 300px
|align=}}

Depletion of natural resources is associated with [[social inequity]]. Considering most biodiversity are located in developing countries,<ref name="cultural">UNESCO and UNEP 2002 Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg.</ref> depletion of this resource could result in losses of [[ecosystem services]] for these countries.<ref name="living planet">Nellemann C and Corcoran E 2010 Dead Planet, Living Planet- Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration for Sustainable Development: A Rapid Response Assessment. United Nations Environment Program, GRID-Arendal</ref> Some view this depletion as a major source of social unrest and conflicts in developing nations.<ref>Von Braun J cited in Inforesources Trends 2005 Depletion of Natural Resources – Implications for Development: An assessment by experts Berne, Switzerland</ref>

At present, there is a particular concern for rainforest regions that hold most of the Earth's biodiversity.<ref name="forest">{{cite news|url=https://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/|title=UNEP 2011 International Year of Forests|newspaper=United Nations|date=12 September 2011|publisher=Un.org|access-date=2016-12-12|last1=Nations|first1=United|archive-date=2016-12-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209010116/http://www.un.org/en/events/iyof2011/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to Nelson,<ref name="Nelson">{{cite web|title=Nelson 2005 Chapter 3: Drivers of Ecosystem Change: Summary Chapter in Current State and Trends Assessment Millenium Ecosystem Assessment |url=http://www.maweb.org/documents/document.272.aspx.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014132137/http://www.maweb.org/documents/document.272.aspx.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 October 2009 |date=12 September 2011 |access-date=2016-12-12 }}</ref> deforestation and degradation affect 8.5% of the world's forests with 30% of the Earth's surface already cropped. If we consider that 80% of people rely on medicines obtained from plants and {{frac|3|4}} of the world's prescription medicines have ingredients taken from plants,<ref name="living planet"/> loss of the world's rainforests could result in a loss of finding more potential life-saving medicines.<ref>Clark H cited in
UNESCO and UNEP 2002 Cultural Diversity and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg</ref>

The depletion of natural resources is caused by 'direct drivers of change'<ref name="Nelson"/> such as [[mining]], [[petroleum extraction]], [[fishing]], and forestry as well as 'indirect drivers of change' such as demography (e.g. population growth), economy, society, politics, and technology.<ref name="Nelson"/> The current practice of [[agriculture]] is another factor causing depletion of natural resources. For example, the depletion of nutrients in the soil due to excessive use of nitrogen<ref name="Nelson"/> and [[desertification]].<ref name="UN 2002"/>
The depletion of natural resources is a continuing concern for society. This is seen in the cited quote given by [[Theodore Roosevelt]], a well-known conservationist and former United States president, who was opposed to unregulated natural resource extraction.