Limiting depletion of resources

Minimizing resource depletion
Minimizing depletion of non-renewable resources

Description

Limiting depletion of resources involves implementing measures to reduce the overuse and exhaustion of natural assets such as water, minerals, forests, and fossil fuels. This strategy focuses on promoting sustainable consumption, improving resource efficiency, encouraging recycling and reuse, and supporting renewable alternatives. Its practical intent is to ensure long-term availability of essential resources, mitigate environmental degradation, and address problems such as scarcity, ecosystem collapse, and economic instability caused by unsustainable exploitation.

Context

The oil and gas industry spends over $150 billion annually on new exploration, but invests little in developing renewable sources of energy. The ongoing exploration threatens old growth forests in at least 22 countries, coral reefs in 38 countries, and mangroves in 46 countries. In addition, indigenous peoples on every inhabitable continent and at least eight isolated groups face an immediate or near-term threat from exploration.