Module 3: NATURAL RESOURCES

“Natural resources can be defined as the resources that exist (on the planet)
independent of human actions.”
These are the resources that are found in the environment and are developed
without the intervention of humans. Common examples of natural resources
include air, sunlight, water, soil, stone, plants, animals, and fossil fuels.
The natural resources are naturally occurring materials that are useful to
man or could be useful under conceivable technological, economic or social
circumstances or supplies drawn from the earth supplies such as food,
building and clothing materials, fertilizers, metals, water, and geothermal
power. For a long time, natural resources were the domain of the natural
sciences.
Based on the availability are two types of natural resources:
Renewable:
Renewable resources are the ones that are consistently available regardless
of their use. They can be fairly recovered or replaced after utilization.
Examples include vegetation, water, and air. Animals can also be categorized
as renewable resources because they can be reared and bred to reproduce
offspring to substitute the older animals.
As much as these resources are renewable, it may take tens to hundreds of
years to replace them. The renewable raw materials that come from living
things namely animals and trees are termed as organic renewable resources
while those that come from non-living things such as sun, water and wind
are termed as inorganic renewable resources.
Non-Renewable:
Non-renewable resources are the ones that cannot simply be substituted or
recovered once they have been utilized or destroyed. Examples of such
natural resources include fossil fuels and minerals. Minerals are categorized
as non-renewable because, even though they take shape naturally through
the rock cycle, their formation periods take thousands of years. Some
animals mostly the endangered species are similarly regarded as non-
renewable because they are at the verge of extinction.
It brings about the many reasons the endangered species have to be
protected by all means. The non-renewable materials that come from living
things such as fossil fuels are known as organic non-renewable resources
while those that come from non-living things such as rocks and soil are
referred to as inorganic non-renewable resources.
 Renewable resource Non-renewable resource

It can be renewed as it is Once completely consumed, it cannot

available in infinite quantity be renewed due to limited stock

Sustainable in nature Exhaustible in nature

Low cost and environment- High cost and less environment-friendly

friendly
Replenish slowly or do not replenish
naturally at all
Replenish quickly

TYPES OF NATURAL RESOURCES

• Land Resources
• Forest Resources
• Water Resources
• Energy Resources

LAND RESOURCES
Land as a resource: Landforms such as hills, valleys, plains, river basins
andwetlands includedifferent resource generating areas that the people living
in them depend on. Many traditional farming societies had ways of preserving
areas from which they used resources. Eg. Inthe ‘sacred groves’ of the
Western Ghats, requests to the spirit of the Grove for permissionto cut a tree,
or extract a resource, were accompanied by simple rituals. The outcome of
achance fall on one side or the other of a stone balanced on a rock gave or
withheld permission. The request could not be repeated for a specified period.
If land is utilized carefullyit can be considered arenewable resource.The roots
of trees andgrasses bind the soil. Ifforests are depleted, orgrasslands
overgrazed,the land becomes unproductive and wasteland is formed.
Intensiveirrigation leads to water logging and salination,on which crops
cannot grow. Land is also converted into a non-renewable resource
whenhighly toxic industrial and nuclear wastes aredumped on it.
Land on earth is as finite as any of our other natural resources. While
mankind has learn to adapt his lifestyle to various ecosystems worldwide, he
cannot live comfortably for instance on polar ice caps, on under the sea, or in
space in the foreseeable future.
Man needs land for building homes, cultivating food, maintaining pastures
for domestic animals, developing industries to provide goods, and supporting
the industry by creating towns and cities. Equally importantly, man needs to
protect wilderness area in forests, grasslands, wetlands, mountains, coasts,
etc. to protect our vitally valuable biodiversity.
Thus a rational use of land needs careful planning. One can develop most of
these different types of land uses almost anywhere, but Protected Areas
(National Park’s and Wildlife Sanctuaries) can only be situated where some of
the natural ecosystems are still undisturbed. These protected Areas are
important aspects of good landuse planning.
Landuse change: The most damaging change in landuse is demonstrated by
the rapidity with which forests havevanished during recent times, both in
India andin the rest of the world. Forests provide us witha variety of services.
These include processessuch as maintaining oxygen levels in the
atmosphere, removal of carbon dioxide, control overwater regimes, and
slowing down erosion andalso produce products such as food, fuel, timber,
fodder, medicinal plants, etc. In the longterm, the loss of these is far greater
than theshort- term gains produced by converting forested lands to other
uses.
Land degradation: It is a process of deterioration of soil or loss of
fertility.Due to increasing population, the demands for arable land for
producing food, fibre and fuel wood is also increasing. Hence there is more
and more pressure on the limited land resources which are getting degraded
due to over-exploitation. Nearly 56% of total geographical area of the country
is suffering due to land resource degradation. Out of 17-million-hectare canal
irrigated area, 3.4 million hectares is suffering from water logging and
salinity.
Effects of land degradation:
• Soil texture and soil structure are destructed.
• Loss of soil fertility.
• Loss of valuable nutrients.
• increase in water logging, salinity, alkalinity and acidity problem.
• Loss of economic social and biodiversity.
Causes of land degradation
• Population: More land is needed for producing food, fiber and fuel
wood. So land is degraded due to over exploitation.
• Urbanization: Urbanization reduces the agricultural land.
Urbanization leads to deforestation, which in turn affects millions of
plants and animals.
• Fertilizers and pesticides: It affects fertility of the soil and causes
land pollution.
• Damage of top soil: Increase in food production generally leads to
damage of top soil through nutrient depletion.
• Water logging, soil erosion, salination and contamination of the soil
with industrial wastes and cause land degradation.
Soil erosion: The process of loss or removal of superficial layer of soil due to
the action of wind, water and human factors. In other words, it can be
 defined as the movement of soil components, especially surface-litter and top
soil from one place to another. It has been estimated that more than 5000
million tonnes topsoil is being eroded annually and 30% of total eroded mass
is getting loosed to the sea.
Types of soil erosion
• Geological erosion: It is caused by gradual removal of top soil by the
natural process. The rate of erosion is less.
• Accelerated erosion: It is caused by man-made activities. The erosion
is much faster than the rate formation of soil.
Causes of soil erosion:
• Water: water causes soil erosion in the form of rain, run off, rapid flow
and wave action.
• Wind: It is an important climatic agent, which carry away the fine
particles of soil creates soil erosion.
• Biotic agent: Over grazing, mining and deforestation are the major
biotic agent cause soil erosion.35% of soil erosion is due to over grazing
and 30% is due to deforestation.
• Land slide: It causes soil erosion.
• Construction: Construction of dams, buildings, roads remove
protective vegetal cover and leads tosoil erosion.
Control of soil erosion (or) Soil conservation practices:
• The art of soil conservation is based on following basic principles
• To slow down the water for concentrating and moving down the slope
in a narrow path.
• To slow down the water movement when it flows along the slope.
• To encourage more water to enter into the soil.
• To increase the size of soil particles.
Reduction in the wind velocity near the ground by growing vegetation.
Conservational tillage: The process of mixing the residues from previous
crops into the soil by ploughing is called conservational tillage. It improves
soil permeability and increase organic matter, which in turn improve soil
moisture and nutrients.
Organic farming: Process of increasing organic input to the soil. E.g bio
fertilizer
Crop rotation: Process of growing different crops in successive year on the
samew land. It prevents the loss offertility of the soil.
Contour Ploughing: It is very useful areas with low rain fall, i.e. placing
some furrows to store water, which reducesrunoff and erosion.
Mulching: Soil is covered with crop residues and other form of plant litters.
Strip cropping: Planting of crops in rows to check flow of water.
Terrace farming: Conversion of steep slopes in to a series of broad terraces
which run across the contour. Itreduces soil erosion by controlling run off.
Agroforestry: Planting crops in between rows of trees or shrubs, that can
provide fruits and fuel wood. Afterharvesting the crops the soil will not be
eroded because trees and shrubs will remain on the soil andhold the soil
particles.
Wind break: Trees are planted in long rows along the boundary of cultivated
lands, which block the windand reduces soil erosion.
Desertification: Desertification is a process whereby the productive potential
of arid or semiarid lands falls by ten percent or more. Desertification is
characterized by de-vegetation and depletion of groundwater, salinization and
severe soil erosion.
Causes:
• Deforestation
• Over grazing
• Over utilisation of water
• Mining and quarrying
• Climate change
• Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides
Effects of desertification:
80% of productive land in the arid and semi-arid regions are converted in to
desert. Around 600million people are suffered by desertification.
FOREST RESOURCES
Forest is important renewable resources. Forest vary in composition and
diversity and can contribute substantially to the economic development of
any country.Plants along with trees cover large areas, produce variety of
products and provide food for living organisms, and also important to save
the environment.
It is estimated that about 30% of world area is covered by forest whereas 26%
by pastures. Among all continents, Africa has largest forested area (33%)
followed by Latin America (25%), whereas in North America forest cover is
only 11%. Asia and former USSR has 14% Contour Ploughing: It is very
useful areas with low rain fall, i.e. placing some furrows to store water, which
reducesrunoff and erosion.
Mulching: Soil is covered with crop residues and other form of plant litters.
Strip cropping: Planting of crops in rows to check flow of water.
Terrace farming: Conversion of steep slopes in to a series of broad terraces
which run across the contour. Itreduces soil erosion by controlling run off.
Agroforestry: Planting crops in between rows of trees or shrubs, that can
provide fruits and fuel wood. Afterharvesting the crops the soil will not be
eroded because trees and shrubs will remain on the soil andhold the soil
particles.
Wind break: Trees are planted in long rows along the boundary of cultivated
lands, which block the windand reduces soil erosion.
Desertification: Desertification is a process whereby the productive potential
of arid or semiarid lands falls by ten percent or more. Desertification is
characterized by de-vegetation and depletion of groundwater, salinization and
severe soil erosion.
Causes:
• Deforestation
• Over grazing
• Over utilisation of water
• Mining and quarrying
• Climate change
• Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides
Effects of desertification:
80% of productive land in the arid and semi-arid regions are converted in to
desert. Around 600million people are suffered by desertification.

FOREST RESOURCES
Forest is important renewable resources. Forest vary in composition and
diversity and can contribute substantially to the economic development of
any country.Plants along with trees cover large areas, produce variety of
products and provide food for living organisms, and also important to save
the environment.
It is estimated that about 30% of world area is covered by forest whereas 26%
by pastures. Among all continents, Africa has largest forested area (33%)
followed by Latin America (25%), whereas in North America forest cover is
only 11%. Asia and former USSR has 14% area under forest. European
countries have only 3% area under forest cover. India’s Forest Cover
accounts for 20.6% of the total geographical area of the country as of 2005.
(1) Significance of forests. Forest can provide prosperity of human being
and to the nations. Important uses of forest can be classified as under
(i)Commercial values
• Forests are main source of many commercial products such as wood,
timber, pulpwood etc. About 1.5 billion people depend upon fuel wood
as an energy source. Timber obtained from the forest can used to make
plywood, board, doors and windows, furniture, and agriculture
implements and sports goods. Timber is also a raw material for
preparation of paper, rayon and film.
• Forest can provide food , fibre, edible oils and drugs.
 • Forest lands are also used for agriculture and grazing.
• Forest is important source of development of dams, recreation and mining.
(ii) Life and economy of tribal
Forest provides food, medicine and other products needed for tribal people and
play a vital role in the life and economy of tribes living in
the
forest.
Ecological uses. Forests are habitat to all wild animals, plants and support
millions of species. They help in reducing global warming caused by
greenhouse gases and produces oxygen upon photosynthesis.
Forest can act as pollution purifier by absorbing toxic gases. Forest not only
helps in soil conservation but also helps to regulate the hydrological
cycle.
Aesthetic values. All over the world people appreciate the beauty and
tranquility of the forest because forests have a greatest aesthetic value.
Forest provides opportunity for recreation and ecosystem research.
Over exploitation of forests. Forests contribute substantially to the national
economy. With increasing population increased demand of fuel wood,
expansion of area under urban development and industries has led to over
exploitation of forest .At present international level we are losing forest at the
rate of 1.7 crore hectares annually. Overexploitation also occurs due to
overgrazing and conversion of forest to pastures for domestic use.
Deforestation. Forest are burned or cut for clearing of land for agriculture,
harvesting for wood and timber , development and expansion of cities .These
economic gains are short term where as long term effects of deforestation are
irreversible.
1. Deforestation rate is relatively low in temperate countries than in tropics If
present rate of deforestation continues, we may losses 90% tropical forest
in coming six decades
2. For ecological balance 33% area should be under forest cover but our
nation has only 20.6% forest cover.
Causes of deforestation. Forest area in some developed area has expanded.
However, in developing countries area under forest is showing declining trend
particularly in tropical region. Main causes of deforestation are:
Shifting cultivation or jhum cultivation. This practice is prevalent in tribal
areas where forest lands are cleared to grow subsistence crops. It is estimated
that principal cause of deforestation in tropics in Africa, Asia and tropical
America is estimated to be 70, 50, and 35% respectively. Shifting cultivation
which is a practice of slash and burn agriculture are possess to clear more
than 5 lakh hectares of land annually. In India, shifting cultivation is prevalent
in northeast and to limited extent in M.P, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh and is
contributing significantly to deforestation.
Commercial logging. It is a important deforestation agent. It may not be the
primary cause but definitely it acts as secondary cause, because new logging
lots permits shifting cultivation and fuel wood gatherers access to new logged
areas.
Need for fuel wood. Increased population has lead to increasing demand for
fuel wood which is also acting as an important deforestation agent, particularly
in dry forest. Expansion for agribusiness. With the addition of cash crops
such as oil palm, rubber, fruits and ornamental plants, there is stress to
expand the area for agribusiness products which results in deforestation.
Development projects and growing need for food. The growing demand for
electricity, irrigation, construction, mining, etc. has led to destruction of forest.
Increased population needs more food which has compelled for increasing
area under agriculture crops compelling for deforestation.
Raw materials for industrial use. Forest provides raw material for industry
and it has exerted tremendous pressure on forest. Increasing demand for
plywood for backing has exerted pressure on cutting of other species such as
fir to be used as backing material for apple in J&K and tea in northeast states.
Major effects of deforestation. Deforestation adversely and directly affects
and damages the environment and living beings. Major causes of
deforestation are
• Soil erosion and loss of soil fertility
• Decrease of rain fall due to effect of hydrological cycle
• Expansion of deserts
• Climate change and depletion of water table
• Loss of biodiversity, flora and fauna
• Environmental changes and disturbance in forest ecosystems
Forest conservation and management
Forest is one of the most valuable resources and thus needs to be conserved.
To conserve forest, following steps should be taken

1. Conservation of forest is a national problem;thus, it should be tackled

with perfect coordination between concerned government departments.
2. People should be made aware of importance of forest and involved
in forest conservation activities.
3. The cutting of trees in the forests for timber should be stopped.
4. A forestation programmes should be launched
5. Grasslands should be regenerated.
6. Forest conservation Act should be strictly implemented to check
deforestation.
7. Awards should be instituted for the deserving
Mining
Mining from shallow deposits is done by surface mining while that from deep
deposits is done by sub-surface mining. It leads to degradation of lands and
loss of top soil. It is estimated that about eighty-thousand-hectare land is
under stress of mining activities in India
Mining leads to drying up perennial sources of water sources like spring and
streams in mountainous area.
Mining and other associated activities remove vegetation along with
 underlying soil mantle, which results in destruction of topography and
landscape in the area. Large scale deforestation has been reported in
Mussorie and Dehradun valley due to indiscriminating mining.
The forested area has declined at an average rate of 33% and the increase in
non- forest area due to mining activities has resulted in relatively unstable
zones leading to landslides.

(III) Water Resources. Water is an indispensable resource for life on earth.

Approximately 70.8 % surface of earth is covered with water in the form of
oceans. Out of this, about 97% is not fit for human consumption, about 2% is
locked as a glacier and only less than 1% available as fresh water that can be
used for human consumption and other uses.

Water is excellent solvent and act as carrier of nutrient and helps to distribute
them to the cells in the body, regulates the body temperature and support
structure and can dissolve various pollutant and can act as carrier of large
number of microorganisms.
It is responsible for hydrological cycle which acts as resource of water to the
earth. It is estimated that about 1.4 inch thick layer of water evaporates and
majority of water returns to earth through hydrological cycle.
Water is renewable, but its overuse and pollution make it unfit for use.
Sewage, industrial use, chemicals, etc. pollute water with nitrates, metals, and
pesticides.
Use of Water Resources
Water resources are used for agricultural, industrial, domestic, recreational,
andenvironmental activities. Majority of the uses require fresh water.However,
about 97 percent of water found on the earth is salt water and only three
percent isfresh water. A little over two-thirds of the available fresh water is
frozen in glaciers and polar ice caps. The remaining freshwater is found mainly
as groundwater and a negligible portion of it is present on the ground or in the
air.
Following is a brief account of how water is used in different sectors.
Agricultural Use: Agriculture accounts for 69 percent of all water
consumption basically in agricultural economies like India. Agriculture,
therefore, is the largest consumer of the Earth’s available freshwater.
By 2050, the global water demand of agriculture is estimated to increase by a
further 19% dueto irrigational needs. Expanding irrigation needs are likely to
put undue pressure on water storage. It is still inconclusive whether further
expansion of irrigation, as well as additional water withdrawals from rivers and
groundwater, will be possible in future.
Industrial Use: Water is the lifeblood of the industry. It is used as a raw
material coolant, a solvent, a transport agent, and as a source of energy.
Manufacturing industries account for a considerable share in the total
industrial water consumption. Besides, paper and allied products, chemicals
and primary metals are major industrial users of water.
Worldwide, the industry accounts for 19 percent of total consumption. In
industrialized countries, however, industries use more than half of the water
available for human use.
Domestic Use: It includes drinking, cleaning, personal hygiene, garden care,
cooking, washing of clothes, dishes, vehicles, etc. Since the end of World War II
there has been a trend of people moving out of the countryside to the ever-
expanding cities. This trend has important implications on our water
resources. Government and communities have had to start building large
water-supply systems to deliver water to new populations and industries. Of
all water consumption in the world, domestic use accounts for about 12
percent.
Use for Hydropower Generation: Electricity produced from water is
hydropower. Hydropower is the leading renewable source of electricity in the
world. It accounts for about 16 percent of total electricity generation globally.
There are many opportunities for hydropower development throughout the
world.
Today, the leading hydropower generating countries are China, the US, Brazil,
Canada, India, and Russia.
Use for Navigation and Recreation: Navigable waterways are defined as
watercourses that have been or may be used for transport of interstate or
foreign commerce. Agricultural and commercial goods are moved on water on a
large scale in a number of regions in the world.
Water is also used for recreational purposes such as boating, swimming, and
sporting activities. These uses affect the quality of water and pollute it. Highest
priority should be given to public health and drinking water quality while
permitting such activities in reservoirs, lakes, and rivers.
Over-Exploitation of Water. Water scarcity has become a burning global
issue. The UN has held several conventions on water in recent decades.
Continuous overutilization of surface and ground water has led to virtual water
scarcity in the world today.
The depleting sources for high growth in human population over the centuries
and increased man-induced water pollution across the world have created
unforeseen water scarcity around the globe. As a result, there has been
continuous overutilization of the existing water sources due to mammoth
growth in world population.
Surface water. Surface water mainly comes directly from rain or snow covers.
The various surface sources are natural lakes and ponds, rivers and streams,
artificial reservoirs. Availability of surface water decides the economy of the
country. On one side surface water availability affects the productivity, but on
the other side water sources may cause floods and drought. Due to unequal
distribution, water may lead to national (interstate) or international disputes.
Sharing of surface water due to these disputes is affecting productivity of
different agro eco-zone and creating problems for government.
Ground water
Groundwater is the major source of water in many parts of the world.
However, there has been continuous depletion of this source due to its
overexploitation by rising human population and the rapid rise in
industrialization and urbanization in modern times.About 9.86% of the total
fresh water resources are in the form of groundwater and it is about 35-50
times that of surface water supplies.
Effects of extensive and reckless groundwater usage:
• Subsidence
• Lowering of water table
• Water logging

Consequences of Overutilization
Water scarcity now becomes an important topic in international diplomacy.
From village to the United Nations, water scarcity is a widely-discussed topic
in decision making.
Nearly three billion people in the world suffer from water scarcity.
International, intrastate and regional rivalries on water are not new to world.
The ongoing Jordan River conflict, Nile River conflict, and Aral Sea conflict
are cases in point. The intra-state issues such as Cauvery Water dispute in
South India, 2000 Cochabamba protests in Bolivia is still a simmering
cauldron causing periodic tension at the national and regional levels.
According to World Health Organization (WHO) sources, a combination of
rising global population, economic growth and climate change means that by
2050 five billion (52%) of the world’s projected 9.7 billion people will live in
areas where fresh water supply is under pressure. Researchers expect about
1 billion more people to be living in areas where water demand exceeds
surface-water supply.
Climate Change
Scientists, environmentalists, and biologists worldwide are now alarmed that
climate change can have an impact on the drainage pattern and hydrological
cycle on the earth thereby severely affecting the surface and groundwater
availability.
Climate change is believed to rise the global temperature at an increasing
pace. Temperature increase affects the hydrological cycle by directly
increasing evaporation of available surface water and vegetation
transpiration.
As a result, precipitation amount, timing and intensity rates are largely
affected. It impacts the flux and storage of water in surface and subsurface
reservoirs.
Floods & Draughts
Floods and droughts are two well-known natural hazards in the world. The
former is due to excess in water flow and the latter is due to scarcity of water.
The amount of rainfall received by an area varies from one place to another
depending on the location of the place. In some places it rains almost
throughout the year whereas in other places it might rain for only few days.
India records most of its rainfall in the monsoon season.
Heavy rains lead to rise in the water level of rivers, seas, and oceans. Water
gets accumulated in the coastal areas, which results in floods. Floods bring
in extensive damage to crops, domestic animals, property and human life.
During floods, many animals get carried away by the force of water and
eventually die.
On the other hand, droughts set in when a particular region goes without
rain for a long period of time. In the meantime, the soil will continuously lose
groundwater by the process of evaporation and transpiration. Since this
water is not brought back to earth in the form of rains, the soil becomes very
dry.
The level of water in the ponds and rivers goes down and in some cases water
bodies get dried up completely. Ground water becomes scarce and this leads
to droughts. In drought conditions, it is very difficult to get food and fodder
for the survival. Life gets difficult and many animals perish in such
conditions.
Frequent floods and droughts are mostly due to climate change and global
warming. Various environmental organizations world over are of the view that
climate change is a long-term change in weather patterns, either in average
weather conditions or in the distribution of extreme weather events.
Major Water Conflicts
Some of the major water conflicts that have become thorn in relations
between states and countries are
Water conflict in the middle east. Countries involved are Sudan, Egypt and
Turkey. It also affects countries which are water starved viz. Saudi Arabia,
Kuwait, Syria, Israel and Jordan.
The Indus water treaty. This Indus water treaty dispute between India and
Pakistan is lingering since long.
The Cauvery water dispute. It involves two major states of India viz.
Tamilnadu and Karnataka.
The Satluj-Yamuna link canal dispute. The dispute is between two
Northern states viz. Punjab and Haryana and UP, Rajasthan as well as Delhi
has also interest in it .
In traditional water management, innovative arrangements ensure equitable
distribution of water, which are democratically implemented. These disputes
can be solved amicably through ‘Gram Panchayats”, if transparency is
 maintained. But disputes between countries or states sometimes attain war
like situation and are difficult to solve.
Dams - Benefits and Problems.
Water is a precious resource and its scarcity is increasing at global level.
There is a pressure to utilise surface water resources efficiently for different
purposes. Dam, structure built across a stream, a river, or an estuary to
retain water. Dams are built to provide water for human consumption, for
irrigating arid and semiarid lands, or for use in industrial processes.
Major benefits of dams
The major benefits of dams are:
• Hydroelectricity generation
• Year-round water supply to ensure higher productivity
• Equal water distribution by transferring water from area of excess to
area of deficit
• Helps flood control and protects soil
• Assure irrigation during dry periods
• River valley projects provide inland water navigation, employment
opportunities and can be used to develop fish hatcheries and nurseries
• River valley projects have tremendous potential for economic
upliftment and will help to raise the standard of living and can help to
improve the quality of life
Disadvantages/problems
Although dams have proved very useful over the centuries but recent past big
dams has created lot of human as well as environmental issues:
• Submergence of large areas may lead to loss of fertile soil and
displacement of tribal people
• Salt left behind due to evaporation increase the salinity of river water
and makes it unusable when reaches down stream
• Siltation and sedimentation of reservoirs not only makes dams use less
but also is responsible for loss of valuable nutrients
• Loss of non-forest land leads to loss of flora and fauna
• Changes in fisheries and the spawning grounds
• Stagnation and water logging near reservoir leads to breeding of vectors
and spread of vector-borne diseases
• Growth of aquatic weeds may lead to microclimatic changes.
(IV) ENERGY RESOURCES
Energy Scenario
Energy is a key input in the economic growth and there is a close link
between the availability of energy and the future growth of a nation. Power
generation and energy consumption are crucial to economic development.
In India, energy is consumed in a variety of forms such as fuel wood; animal
waste and agricultural residues are the traditional sources of energy. These
non-commercial fuels are gradually getting replaced by commercial fuels i.e.
coal, petroleum products, natural gas and electricity.
Out of total energy, commercial fuels account for 60% where as the balance
40% is coming from non-commercial fuels. Of the total commercial energy
produced in the form of power or electricity,
69% is from coal (thermal power), 25% is from hydel power,
4% is from diesel and gas,
2% is from nuclear power, and
Less than 1% from non- conventional sources like solar, wind, ocean,
biomass, etc. Petroleum and its products are the other large sources of
energy. In a developing country like India, in spite of enhanced energy
production, there is still shortage due to increased demand of energy. In spite
of the fact that there is a phenomenal increase in power generating capacity,
still there is 30% deficit of about 2,000 million units.
Policy makers are in the process of formulating an energy policy with the
objectives of ensuring adequate energy supply at a minimum cost, achieving
self-sufficiency in energy supplies and protecting environment from adverse
impact of utilizing energy resources in an injudicious manner. The main
features of this policy are
Accelerated exploitation of domestic conventional energy resources, viz., oil,
coal, hydro and nuclear power;
Intensification of exploration to achieve indigenous production of oil and gas;
Efficient management of demand of oil and other forms of energy;
To formulate efficient methods of energy conservation and management;
Optimisation of utilisation of existing capacity in the country
Development and exploitation of renewable sources of energy to meet energy
requirements of rural communities;
Organisation of training for personnel engaged at various levels in the energy
sector.
Government private partnership to exploit natural energy resources
Renewable Resources
The resources that can be replenished through rapid natural cycles are
known as renewable resource. These resources are able to increase their
abundance through reproduction and utilization of simple substances.
Examples of renewable resources are plants (crops and forests),and animals
who are being replaced from time to time because they have the power of
reproducing and maintain life cycles.
Some examples of renewable resources though they do not have life cycle but
can be recycled are wood and wood-products, pulp products, natural rubber,
fibres (e.g. cotton, jute, animal wool, silk and synthetic fibres) and leather.
In addition to these resources, water and soil are also classified as renewable
resources. Solar energy although having a finite life, as a special case, is
considered as a renewable resource in as much as solar stocks is
inexhaustible on the human scale.
Non-Renewable Resources
The resources that cannot be replenished through natural processes are
known as non- renewable resources.
These are available in limited amounts, which cannot be increased. These
resources include fossil fuels (petrol, coal etc.), nuclear energy sources (e.g.
uranium, thorium, etc). metals (iron, copper, gold, silver, lead, zinc etc.),
minerals and salts (carbonates, phosphates, nitrates etc.).
Once a non-renewable resource is consumed, it is gone forever. Then we have
to find a substitute for it or do without it.
Non-renewable resources can further be divided into two categories, viz.
Recyclable and non-recyclable
Recyclable resources
These are non-renewable resources, which can be collected after they are
used and can be recycled. These are mainly the non-energy mineral
resources, which occur in the earth’s crust (e.g. ores of aluminium, copper,
mercury etc.) and deposits of fertilizer nutrients (e.g. phosphate sock and
potassium and minerals used in their natural state (asbestos, clay, mica etc.)
Non-recyclable resources
These are non-renewable resources, which cannot be recycled in any way.
Examples of these are fossil fuels and nuclear energy sources (e.g. uranium,
etc) which provide 90 per cent of our energy requirements.
Use of Alternate Energy Sources
There is a need to develop renewable energy sources which are available and
could be utilized (solar or wind) or the sources which could be created and
utilized (bio-mass). The main renewable energy sources for India are solar,
wind, hydel, waste and bio-mass. Bio- mass are resources which are
agriculture related like wood, bagasse, cow dung, seeds, etc.
Hydro energy
India has a total hydro energy potential of about 1.5 lakh MW, of which only
about 20 % is installed. Small hydro plant potential is about 15000 MW and
most of it is in the northern and eastern hilly regions.
Wind energy
The wind power potential of India is about 45,000 MW out of which capacity
of 8748 MW has been installed in India till 2008. India is one of the leading
countries in generating the power through wind energy.
Geothermal energy
Geothermal energy is thermal energy generated and stored in the Earth.
Thermal energy is the energy that determines the temperature of matter.
Earth's geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet
(20%) and from radioactive decay of minerals (80%). Geothermal power is
cost effective, reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly, but has
historically been limited to areas near tectonic plate boundaries. Recent
technological advances have dramatically expanded the range and size of
viable resources, especially for applications such as home heating, opening a
potential for widespread exploitation. Geothermal wells release greenhouse
gases trapped deep within the earth, but these emissions are much lower per
energy unit than those of fossil fuels. As a result, geothermal power has the
potential to help mitigate global warming if widely deployed in place of fossil
fuels.
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC )
Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) uses the difference between cooler
deep and warmer shallow or surface ocean waters to run a heat engine and
produce useful work, usually in the form of electricity. A heat engine gives
greater efficiency and power when run with a large temperature difference. In
the oceans the temperature difference between surface and deep water is
greatest in the tropics, although still a modest 20 to 25 °C. It is therefore in
the tropics that OTEC offers the greatest possibilities. OTEC has the potential
to offer global amounts of energy that are 10 to 100 times greater than other
ocean energy options such as wave power
Biomass energy
Biomass is the oldest means of energy used by humans along with solar
energy. As soon as the fire was discovered, it was used widely among humans
mainly for heat and light. Fire was generated using wood or leaves, which is
basically a biomass. The biomass could be used to generate steam or power
or used as a fuel. Power is generated using rice husk in Andhra Pradesh,
while several bagasse-based plants are there. India has a potential of 3500
MW from bagasse. Other fast-growing plants could be planned over a huge
area, so that it provides biomass for generating power.
Organic waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung, and
kitchen waste can be converted by the anaerobic digestion or fermentation
into a gaseous fuel called biogas. Biogas is a mixture of 65% methane (CH4)
and of 35% CO2 and may have small amounts of hydrogen sulphide (H2S),
moisture and siloxanes. It is a renewable energy resulting from biomass.
Biogas can be used as a fuel in any country for any heating purpose, such as
cooking. It can also be used in anaerobic digesters where it is typically used
in a gas engine to convert the energy in the gas into electricity and heat.
Biogas can be compressed, much like natural gas, and used to power motor
 vehicles.
Bio-fuels
India has more than 50 million hectare of wasteland, which could be utilized
for cultivating fuel plants. Jatropha is one of the options which can be
planted on arid lands and be used for production of bio fuels.
Solar energy
India being a tropical country has potential to use solar energy on
commercial bases. According to estimates, 35 MW of power could be
generated from one sq km. With such potential, solar energy has bright
future as energy source for the development of the country. Initial cost is the
biggest limitation which has led to the low realization of its potential. For
solar energy to become one of the front runners, it will require lot of research,
cheap technology and low capital.
Problems Relate To the Use of Energy Resources
• Fossil fuel
• Global warming
• Acid rains
• Dangers posed by leaded fuels, Oil spills
• Water pollution caused by poorly managed coal mines
• Air pollution.
Alternate energy resources
The initial cost of establishment of alternate energy generation is costlier than
conventional resources.
• Maintenance of these structures is difficult.
• It requires more space.
• Energy supply is unpredictable during natural calamities.

Growing Energy Needs

Energy consumption of a nation is usually considered as an index of its
development, because almost all the development activities are directly or
indirectly dependent upon energy. Power generation and energy consumption
are crucial to economic development as economy of any nation depends upon
availability of energy resources. There are wide disparities in per capita
energy use of developed and the developing nations. With increased speed of
development in the developing nations energy needs are also increasing.
The very original form of energy technology probably was the fire, which
produced heat and the early man used it for cooking and heating purposes.
Wind and hydropower has also been used. Invention of steam engineers
replaced the burning of wood by coal and coal was further replaced by oil.
The oil producing has started twisting arms of the developed as well as
developing countries by dictating the prices of oil and other petroleum
products.
Energy resources are primarily divided into two categories viz. renewable and
non- renewable sources.
Renewable energy resources must be preferred over the non-renewable
resources.
It is inevitable truth that now there is an urgent need of thinking in terms of
alternative sources of energy, which are also termed as non-conventional
energy sources which include:
Solar energy needs equipment such as solar heat collectors, solar cells, solar
cooker, solar water heater, solar furnace and solar power plants. Wind
energy, Hydropower, Tidal energy, ocean thermal energy, geothermal energy,
biomass, biogas, biofuels etc.
The non-renewable energy sources include coal, petroleum, natural gas,
nuclear energy.

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Raven,P.H,Hassenzahl,D.M.,Hager,M.C,Gift,N.Y.andBerg,L.R.(2015).Environme
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Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P. and Gupta, S.R. (2017). Ecology, Environmental Science
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Kaushik, Anubha and Kaushik, C.P. (2018)Perspectives in Environmental
Studies
Bharucha, Erach Textbook of Environmental Studies for
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Sharma, P.D. Fundamentals Of Ecology
Biology Book 12th NCERT
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