However, this situation is not representative of the actions of the entire world. The fact that around 84 countries have now ratified the Kyoto Protocol is a clear signal that the Kyoto Protocol, with its legally binding targets and timetables, is an effective international framework for combating global warming. Furthermore the European Community, once a major contributor to total greenhouse gases has proposed measures to reduce emissions at the lowest economic cost, including a European Community-wide emissions trading scheme to begin in 2005.
Social Issues:
The use of natural resources can also have social consequences. Groups of people such as indigenous populations or cultural groups can be affected by the production and/or consumption patterns of natural resources. These affects can either advantage or disadvantage the indigenous group.
In the case of the Ogoni people of the Rivers State in Nigeria, the mining of oil has been going on for the past fifty years almost completely destroying their environment. The Ogoni’s, a minority indigenous group had little political power in 1958 when the mining began and have just little now. Over one hundred oil wells have been created and it is estimated that since oil activities began there have been more that three thousand spills. Protest is violently repressed by the dictatorial Nigerian Government and Shell Oil, the company that effectively funds the dictatorship. The livelihood of the Ogoni people has almost been destroyed with locals no longer able to farm or fish due to oil spills and environmental destruction. It has been estimated by Greenpeace that if the present practices continue, the Ogoni people will be extinct within 20 to 25 years; because of this Shell’s activities have been described as “genocidal”.
Conversely the Mirrar people of the Kakadu region in the Northern Territory of Australia have managed to surmount uranium mining at the Jabiluka site. They believe the mine is a direct threat to their cultural beliefs. Energy Resources Australia LTD (ERA) sees the uranium deposit at Jabiluka as an opportunity to increase production of uranium and take advantage of world demand. The company has estimated the mine will be worth $6.2 billion to the Australian economy. Yvonne Margarula, Mirrar Senior Traditional owner has headed protests into mining at Jabiluka and has recently defeated ERA and the Australia government by stoping mining at the site. As of April 2003 a “peaceful blockade” of the mine has been placed with backfilling of the Jabiluka decline commencing in August that year.
Environmental Issues:
The most obvious issue that arrises from the use of natural resources is the environmental one. Clearly any resource extraction and/or use will in some way effect the environment, generally in a negative way.
As demonstrated in the case of the illegal logging of equatorial rainforests in Indonesian Borneo, the island, once known as the lungs of Asia, has been brought to the brink of an ecological disaster. Not only has 95 percent of the forest legally set aside for logging been cleared but also nearly 60 percent of protected national parkland has been illegally logged as of September 2004. As a result much of the areas that are left are too small to support many of the native species that depend on the forest. It is estimated that the orangutan population of Gunung Palung National Park in West Kalimantan will drop by a third in the next two to three years. Furthermore, at the current rate of decline, most native rainforest animal species will be extinct within the next ten years.
While deforestation seems to have become almost an uncontrollable problem in some of the world’s rainforests, there have been some solutions created that combat the major issues associated with logging. In Indonesia as of January 2003 certain policies and processes have been adopted to battle this issue. Methods such as plantation timber forests that are usually rapid growing, need little maintenance and give a high yield serve the single purpose of being eventually logged. The restrictions of the timber trade and timber certification policies are effective methods of stopping illegal logging. They have also endorsed an independent institution to issue, evaluate and monitor license holders in an effort to stop illegal practices.
Economic Issues:
A range of economic ramifications can arise from the production and/or consumption of natural resources. In many instances a country relies so heavily upon the use of natural resources as a means of energy production that operating without these resources is unimaginable. Thus the environmental and social issues that can arise from the use of natural resources are often overlooked.
South Korea, for example, relies heavily on nuclear power plants to produce its electrical energy. South Korea’s nuclear activities began in 1957 and by 1962 had its first commercial reactor. With 40% of South Korea’s electrical energy produced by means of nuclear reactors it currently operates eighteen nuclear plants and plans to have another two in operation by the end of 2004. The Asian financial crisis in 1997 to 1998 forced South Korea to abandon its plans for an environmental rehabilitation program and focus its funds on economic recovery. South Korea centred its efforts on the growth of its nuclear program and as a result rebounded remarkably quickly from the recession. Although there has been much pressure for South Korea to become more environmentally friendly, South Korea has future plans to emphasize the development of more nuclear power with the addition of a dozen more nuclear plants by 2015. With these trends proposed to continue through the next decade it is clear that South Korea has become economically dependant upon nuclear power.
While South Korea plans to further develop its nuclear program, some European countries such as Italy and Sweden have chosen to decrease their uses of nuclear power for environmental reasons. In 1997, 46% of Sweden’s power was provided by nuclear energy, down from 52% the previous year. While Italy has ceased producing nuclear power in 1987 with the decision costing them over US$6.8 billion in cost for the decommissioning of old reactors.
Conclusion:
The production and/or consumption of natural resources can have varies effects. In some instances they can be beneficial to the local inhabitants or a countries population while in others the environments or indigenous community can suffer greatly. As demonstrated there are issues across the globe that have been raised as a result of the use of natural resources; political, economic, environmental and social. Thus any decision related to the use of a natural resource should be made equally and fairly based on these issues.
