The interrelationship between Natural Resource and Sustainable Developmen
Saroj Ghimire and Sudan Kumar Oli
Human-made or physical, natural resources and human capital all contribute to human welfare through supporting the production of goods and services in the economic process. The term of natural resources includes all the resources that exist in the natural state and all the systems that are or can be useful to the main in the actual technological, economical and social circumstances. The use of natural resources into the productive technological processes means the direct consumption of resources for satisfaction of needs of products and services. The most used classification of natural resources is that which divides them into renewable resources (i.e. solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, agricultural lands, forests, air and waters) and non-renewable resources (i.e. mineral substances and fossil fuels).
The word ''sustainability'' has become a global buzzword as a potential solution for the many international, regional and local problems facing society today. The United Nation world commission on Environment and development coined a definition of sustainable development, which is probably most well known in all of the sustainability literature: "development that meets the needs of present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs. (WECD,1987). The sustainable development and natural resources are indissoluble linked of the society existence, of development of the economic, technologic, social, human medium, and of ensuring the environment protection. The ensuring of natural resources and sustainable development for the present and future generation must became a strategic national objective gradually applied as a function of tradition, potential and natural, technical, social and human capital from each state of the world as well the evolution tendencies of regional, geographic and environmental development in the world.
Our understanding of the role of natural resources in economic development has advanced considerably in recent years, although there is still much more to learn. We can no longer exclude natural capital from any meaningful discussion of the factors determining economic development. Our concept of the “economic system” has indeed changed irrevocably. World’s traditional economy is looking for improvised green economy which promotes balance development of economic states and natural resource. With the report entitled the Blueprint for a green economy (1989), the concept of green economy was developed. The major theme of the report was to indicate environmental tribulations such as climate change, ozone depletion, tropical deforestation, and resource loss in the developing world. Then after green sustainable economic development and balance development has become a burning issue for entire economic systems and stakeholders.
Nepal is landlocked country where major part of it is covered with hills and mountains. Nepal lies just above the boundary of Tibetan and Indian plate. It is among one of the developing country whose population is increasing in an unscientific way along with haphazard and unscientific urbanization. Construction of multistorey building, increasing population is considered as parameter of urbanization in developing country. Urbanization in Nepal is at high speed; parameter and standard for construction, which need to be considered during infrastructure construction, policies for urban planning are not considered and its practice, only in few cities of Nepal. Cities which consider parameters, published in Gadget of Government of Nepal, are not using and implementing it in an effective way. Being rich in its natural resource is one of the poor countries in the world and is all because of improper utilization of these resources. More than 6000 rivers and rivulets flow here having capacity of 83000MW is yet not used for economical development of the country. Many medicinal herbs are found in the forests of Nepal which are not properly identified. It is one of the small countries and is unfortunate in terms of its overall progress, mainly in economic development. Upon restoration after Maoist insurgency, the country’s political parties were not able to tackle the problems.
Comprehensive peace process ends the direct conflicts among different political parties but the hidden issues are still there and they are the major challenges for stability and growth. New constitution has been promulgated and new federal system has established. Nation’s governing power has been delegated into 753 local units, 7 province and federal government. There is still existence of conflict for the ownership of natural resources, whether the immediate governing body owned or not.
Poverty is increasing in Nepal; as it has been shown by mass exodus of youth from this country in search of employment in the third country. A few years back youth exodus was in the order of less than thousand people per day; now reportedly it has crossed more than 2,500 youths per day. Due to youth migration, local productions and physical construction for the economic development has been hold up. Fertile lands are covering by bushes and farmers stop growing food crops. Demand of foods has been increasing with the population growth but contribution of agriculture sector to gross domestic product is decreasing. According to economic survey of fiscal year 2075/76, the contribution of agriculture sector is only 26.98 percent which was 35 percent in fiscal year 2066/77. Trade deficits have reached to 13 billion plus which is almost close to country budget i.e. 15 billions. To control flying trade deficits, must need to increase productivity of comparative advantage. For Nepalese economy, ecotourism and social religious tourism could be the comparative advantage.
Nature is providing all the resources for living; such as food, air, water and most of the natural capital. Natural capital is harvested and then converted into manmade capital and wealth in terms of money. Most areas are endowed with enormous amount and types of natural resources such as land for agriculture; water resources for hydropower, irrigation, and domestic uses; forestry for commercial timber, medicinal plants and other valuable non-timber forest products, which are all ecosystem services to human kind. Proper management and utilization of these resources would not only support the continuity and sustainability of their services but will also generate most of the human needs, wealth and prosperity.
Hence present paradigm of development has to be changed in terms of Ecosystem management where infrastructure development and economic development should be carried out in one package so the global problems such as climate change, biodiversity degradation, Green House Gas emission and others will also be taken in consideration which may lead country toward sustainability. The balance development concept that includes natural resource management and eco-friendly infrastructure development with local participation would be the best practice of sustainable development for Nepal. The government and its wings should focus on the impact and relation of natural resources and sustainable development through its policy and programs for the Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali.
