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Essays on natural resources and local economies

Kalunga, Chomba (2019) Essays on natural resources and local economies. PhD thesis, University of Glasgow.

Development economics studies the dynamics in various areas such as poverty, health outcomes, economic development, economic growth etc.

This thesis brings together a set of chapters that summarises and synthesises varied areas of development microeconomics. The thesis is composed of three main empirical chapters contributing to varied aspects of development economics, mainly the areas of natural resource curse and local communities, divestiture and its effects on local economies and the health and welfare impact of mining in a developing country setting. While researchers and policy makers focus on governance and macro-fiscal risks to identify areas for improvement, very little attention is being paid to the benefits gained by local communities living close to mining centers. This thesis has thus helped fill a gap that has been identified in previous literature by for example Cust and Poelhekke (2015) who observed that scholars are increasingly turning to within-country evidence to deepen our understanding of the potential drivers, and outcomes, of resource wealth effects. This shifts attention away from cross-country studies, thereby offers new perspectives on the resource curse debate, and can help overcome concerns regarding endogeneity.

Chapter 1 provides an outline and introduction of the thesis. Chapter 2 provides an extensive and analytical review of how the natural resource curse affects the living standards in developing countries that have a rich endowment of natural resources focussing on the sub-national level. It discusses the causal economic impact of Zambia’s copper mines, a country located in sub-Saharan Africa endowed with vast copper deposits on living standards. It gives a detailed empirical literature on the natural resource curse and its relationship to local economies. Further, this chapter empirically analysed constituency data from 1996 to 2010, exploiting an episode where global copper prices were rising. The results highlight a significant impact of copper production on living standards. After splitting the constituencies close to and far away from the nearest mine, the results document that constituencies close to the mines benefited significantly from the increase in copper production. Finally, the results are not consistent with the natural resource curse hypothesis; findings show a positive causal relationship between the presence of natural resources and socioeconomic outcomes in less developed countries, particularly for constituencies close to the mines in Zambia. Chapter 3 provides a detailed analysis of the effect that privatization has on local economies. It provides the main objectives of privatization. It also gives a detailed empirical literature of privatization, mining and how developing countries have been impacted by privatization. This chapter empirically analyses the impact of a resource boom and of the privatization of the copper mines in Zambia on living standards by using a unique constituency level dataset of 150 constituencies in Zambia over the period 1996-2010 following the Living Conditions and Monitoring Survey years. Using a 2sls fixed effects model approach and controlling for constituency characteristics the results show that the privatization of the copper mines benefited the local economies through improved living standards. Lastly, a causal relationship exists between natural resource extraction and living standards even when there have been changes to the structural relationship between the economy and the mining sector is run privately.

Chapter 4 focusses on the effect of copper mining on health outcomes. Mining can be an engine and catalyst for economic growth, but often results in heavy metal releases, that could negatively impact human health. High levels of pollution may cause temporary illness, which in turn may cause lost work hours. Using regression analysis, this chapter analyzed the impact of copper mining on health in Zambia. It further explored changes in health outcomes for constituencies located within 200km to nearest mine as these are the ones to be greatly affected by pollution. Matching just over a decade of repeated cross-section survey data on living conditions in constituencies in Zambia in a 2SLS fixed effects approach, it was observed that an increase in copper mining which led to a copper boom from 2003 induced some changes in health outcomes for constituencies located close to the mining operations after the privatization of the mines. It also finds that the probability of suffering from general sicknesses becomes less likely if a constituency is located close to an open pit mine or in a rural area while it increases if a constituency is located close to an underground mine. The results illustrate that copper mining somehow reduces the prevalence of certain health conditions, for example, anaemia and chest infections. Finally, chapter 5 provides a conclusion for the thesis.

Overall, the thesis endeavored to make a little empirical contribution to the literature on natural resources and local economies by establishing the causal effects of natural resource endowments on local economies in a single country at a subnational level using a novel panel dataset.

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Essays in macroeconomic theory and natural resources

• Research Group: Economics
• Center Ph. D. Students

Research output : Thesis › Doctoral Thesis

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• 10.26116/center-lis-2011
• PhD thesis Richard Jaimes Final published version, 1.07 MB

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• Climate Policy Business & Economics 100%
• Natural Resources Business & Economics 90%
• Optimal Fiscal Policy Business & Economics 82%
• Macroeconomics Business & Economics 63%
• Economic Growth Business & Economics 60%
• Natural Resource Use Business & Economics 41%
• Capital Income Tax Business & Economics 39%
• Demographic Trends Business & Economics 36%

T1 - Essays in macroeconomic theory and natural resources

AU - Jaimes Bonilla, Richard

N1 - CentER Dissertation Series Volume: 632

N2 - This dissertation covers topics in the fields of macroeconomics and environmental economics. Using both theoretical and empirical methods, it focuses on the effects of population aging, climate change, and natural resource use on economic growth and the setting of optimal fiscal and climate policies. Specifically, the second chapter shows that optimal climate policies must be adjusted when there are other intertemporal distortions in the economy, for instance, capital income taxes. The third chapter derives a simple formula for the social costs of carbon and proposes a time-varying social discount factor that allows climate policies to reflect demographic trends. The fourth chapter explores the effects of energy innovation and policy on economic growth rates within the US. The last chapter analyzes optimal fiscal policies in an economy with endogenous retirement and demographic change.

AB - This dissertation covers topics in the fields of macroeconomics and environmental economics. Using both theoretical and empirical methods, it focuses on the effects of population aging, climate change, and natural resource use on economic growth and the setting of optimal fiscal and climate policies. Specifically, the second chapter shows that optimal climate policies must be adjusted when there are other intertemporal distortions in the economy, for instance, capital income taxes. The third chapter derives a simple formula for the social costs of carbon and proposes a time-varying social discount factor that allows climate policies to reflect demographic trends. The fourth chapter explores the effects of energy innovation and policy on economic growth rates within the US. The last chapter analyzes optimal fiscal policies in an economy with endogenous retirement and demographic change.

U2 - 10.26116/center-lis-2011

DO - 10.26116/center-lis-2011

M3 - Doctoral Thesis

SN - 978 90 5668 633 8

T3 - CentER Dissertation Series

PB - CentER, Center for Economic Research

CY - Tilburg

Natural Resources: Ecological Economy Approach Essay

Sharks are disappearing from the ocean because there is the lack of effective regulations and laws to control the overly fishing and aspects of the international trade which can often be based on some illegal points. The problems in ecosystems and the popularity of sharks’ meat among consumers also affect the issue. This problem can be discussed as global, and it can result in the environmental collapse.

That is why, it is necessary to improve the points and conditions presented in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in order to state the regulations for the shark fishing and prevent any cases of the illegal trade.

Furthermore, it is necessary to support the idea of banning the trade of shark fin products, proposing the actual projects for regulations. In addition, it is necessary to increase penalties for illegal fishing and trade.

The current approaches to managing the Gray Wolf of Michigan are not enough. The failures in the programs can lead to the problems in the ecosystem’s balance. The focus on the associated hunting cannot be discussed as economically reasonable because the fact of killing the Gray Wolf of Michigan can lead to the destruction of the ecosystem, and its restoration needs significant financial resources.

That is why, it is necessary to develop the programs and regulations according to which hunting in relation to the Gray Wolf of Michigan should be prohibited; killing animals in the situations of the conflicts should be prohibited; and the additional resources to control the number of animals should be provided with references to the research costs in order to explore the associated ecosystem to prevent the ecological problems.

In spite of the fact that the multiple-use management approach is still relevant to be used in relation to the forest management, it is necessary to pay more attention to the ecosystem management approach according to which the health of forests should be supported.

Today, it is necessary to promote the idea of the forest ecology and to create the necessary conditions for the forest organisms’ development within the appropriate environments. This goal should be prioritized instead of focusing on producing the market goods as it was stated earlier in relation to the tendencies in the forest management.

Nevertheless, the problem is in the fact that ecosystem management ignores the social and economic aspects associated with the forest management.

That is why, the forest should be managed according to the developed balanced system where the ecosystem approach is connected with the positive elements of the multiple-use management approach. From this point, the forest health remains the priority, but the economic and social aspects are not ignored.

The traditional market economy is focused on assessing the financial benefits related to production systems in order to choose the most efficient systems based on the economically effective use of resources. However, this economic system is limited because of not relying on a range of non-economic aspects, such as the focus on ecologically sustainable systems and renewable resources.

On the contrary, the ecological economy approach to natural resource use addresses these factors because the ecological economy states the connections between the economic systems and ecological systems where the development of the ecosystem plays a significant role in influencing the economy of the region.

According to the ecological approach, the natural resources are used to respond to the principles of sustainability, renewability, and often to the idea of organic production. From this point, it is more important for the society to refer to the ecological economy approach because the economic progress is guaranteed along with the efficient use of natural resources to create the sustainable environment.

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The Economics of Resources or the Resources of Economics

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• Robert M. Solow  

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It is easy to choose a subject for a distinguished lecture like this, before a large and critical audience with a wide range of interests. You need a topic that is absolutely contemporary, but somehow perennial. It should survey a broad field, without being superficial or vague. It should probably bear some relation to economic policy, but of course it must have some serious analytical foundations. It is nice if the topic has an important literature in the past of our subject – a literature which you can summarize brilliantly in about eleven minutes – but it better be something in which economists are interested today, and it should appropriately be a subject you have worked on yourself. The lecture should have some technical interest, because you can’t waffle for a whole hour to a room full of professionals, but it is hardly the occasion to use a blackboard.

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P. Dasgupta and G. Heal, “The Optimal Depletion of Exhaustible Resources,” Rev. Econ. Stud ., 1974, 3–28.

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——and J. Tobin, “Is Economic Growth Obsolete?” in National Bureau of Economic Research, Economic Growth , 50th Anniversary Colloq. V, New York 1972.

K. Shell and J. E. Stiglitz, “The Allocation of Investment in a Dynamic Economy,” Quart. J. Econ ., Nov. 1967, 81 .

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M. Weinstein and R. Zeckhauser, “Use Patterns for Depletable and Recyclable Resources,” Rev. Econ. Stud ., 1974, 67–88.

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Solow, R.M. (1974). The Economics of Resources or the Resources of Economics. In: Gopalakrishnan, C. (eds) Classic Papers in Natural Resource Economics. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230523210_13

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✍️Essay on Natural Resources: Samples in 100, 150 and 200 Words 

• Updated on  
• Nov 2, 2023

Wondering about how the resources provided by our planet Earth are depleting? Well, that’s true. We have come to the stage where we should start working towards saving our planet. We humans have used our resources in a humongous quantity. Therefore, it’s time we start working towards saving our planet for our future generations. Today we will provide you with a few samples of essay on natural resources which will help you write on this topic easily. 

Table of Contents

• 1 What are Natural Resources?
• 2 Types of Natural Resources
• 3 Essay on Natural Resources in 100 Words
• 4 Essay on Natural Resources in 150 Words
• 5 Essay on Natural Resources in 200 Words

What are Natural Resources?

Natural Resources are resources which are present in nature independent of human actions. 

These are the resources that are created naturally by the environment, without any help from humans. Soil, stone, sunlight, air, plants, animals, fossil fuels, etc. are all natural resources.

In simple language, natural resources are naturally occurring materials which are useful to humankind. They can also be useful in a variety of ways such as in technological, economic or social contexts. These resources include building, clothing materials, food, water, fertilisers and geothermal energy. Natural resources were traditionally within the purview of the natural sciences.

Also Read: Essay on Save Environment: Samples in 100, 200, 300 Words

Types of Natural Resources

Speaking of the type of natural resources, there are mainly two types of natural resources. These include Renewable and Non-renewable resources. 

Renewable Resources: These are those resources which are endlessly available to humans for several uses. These resources are trees, wind, and water.

Non-Renewable Resources: These resources are available to humans in infinite quantities as they are not renewable and their supply may eventually run out. Minerals and fossil fuels are a few examples.

Also Read: Essay on the Importance of the English Language for Students

Essay on Natural Resources in 100 Words

Natural resources are parts of the natural world that are useful to humans. Renewable resources are those that can be swiftly replenished, these include soil, water, and air., Non-renewable resources are those that need time to recover, such as minerals, oil, natural gas, etc. 

One should note that the survival of all life on Earth depends on natural resources. However, the usage of natural resources in excess use can cause ecosystem disruption. Many nations are taking action these days to protect their natural resources. Natural resources shouldn’t be used for purposes outside our needs. In order to preserve non-renewable resources, we should utilise renewable resources more frequently than non-renewable ones.

Essay on Natural Resources in 150 Words

The organic aspects of nature that contribute to our way of life are known as natural resources. For survival, we rely on natural resources. Natural resources include things like air, water, soil, minerals, crops, etc. Resources like minerals, oil, and other resources are found in non-living organisms and take eons to regenerate. 

The distribution of natural resources is not even. Resources like these are also the primary driver of international trade relations for many nations. However, with time, these natural resources have now been overused by the human mankind beyond their limits. 

However, the unrestricted exploitation of natural resources is a challenge for all nations these days. To control this, a lot of nations are emphasising garbage recycling and employing more renewable resources than non-renewable ones. 

Sustainable development is the use of natural resources for current requirements without wasting them while keeping an eye on the future. It refers to the wise use of natural resources without sacrificing what coming generations will need.

Also Read: Essay on Unity in Diversity in 100 to 200 Words

Essay on Natural Resources in 200 Words

Natural resources are materials found in the environment that humans use to survive.  From the very start, humans have been dependent on these resources. While some of these resources can be restored more rapidly than others, some require more time. Resources like sunlight, water, air, and other renewable resources are readily available and have higher recovery rates than consumption rates.

On the other hand, the formation and processing of non-renewable resources, such as minerals, oil, and natural gas, take a long time. Even the usage rate of these non-renewable resources is higher as compared to the renewable resources. While some natural resources are used immediately, others must first undergo processing.

Even while renewable resources are available in huge quantities, they should also be used responsibly. Both renewable and non-renewable resources require time to be created and processed. Therefore, it is very important for humans to use these resources in a limited quantity and leave some for future generations.

With time, humans are using these resources excessively. With the ever-increasing population, humans have already created a huge impact on the environment. To begin, humans are continuously polluting the air, water and noise. Buildings are being constructed on more land. The land is becoming less valuable in this way. Humans are soon becoming the biggest reason behind depleting natural resources, such as land, water, and air. 

Therefore, we mustn’t undervalue these resources. The moment has come for us to recognise the importance of using these resources sustainably.

Related Articles

Natural Resources are substances which are naturally obtained from nature. Here are the 5 natural resources: Coal, Oil, Natural Gas, Sand, Gems, and Metals.

Renewable resources are natural resources that can be replenished or regenerated at a rate comparable to the rate at which they are consumed or harvested. For example: Solar energy, Wind energy, Biomass, Geothermal energy, etc.

Conserving and saving natural resources is essential for sustainable development and the preservation of the environment. Here are some easy tips to save natural resources: Implementing the 3Rs in daily life; Adopting energy-efficient practices such as using energy-saving appliances; Reducing water wastage by fixing leaks, using water-efficient appliances, and practising mindful water usage in daily activities, etc.

For more information on such interesting topics, visit our essay-writing page and follow Leverage Edu ! 

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Essays in Natural Resource Economics

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Allocation decisions in many natural resource markets are governed by mechanisms designed to alleviate information asymmetries and other types of market imperfections. For example, the crew in most commercial fisheries is remunerated via a lay system of payments designed to alleviate a potential team agency problem. The four essays in this dissertation explore the use of mechanisms in natural resource and environmental economics.

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Natural Resources Essay

Introduction

Natural resources and their relevance to human life are a major concern for all people on the planet. It is now important to have knowledge of the need for and value of natural resources, as well as to spread full awareness of the dangers associated with their scarcity. We have provided both long and short natural resources essays for students of Class 1 to 12.

Long and Short Essay on Natural Resources

Long natural resources essay in english.

Natural resources are priceless gifts to us that are necessary for our survival on this planet. Air, water, ground, trees, wood, soil, minerals, petroleum, metals, and sunlight are all examples. These resources cannot be generated or developed by humans; instead, they can be changed in various ways so that we can make better use of them.

Natural Resources are Classified into Two Types:

1. Renewable - Water, air, sunshine, ground, wood, soil, plants, and animals are examples of renewable resources that can be reclaimed and reformed after use. Water, plants, livestock, and fresh air are examples of scarce resources. Without a well-managed mechanism for consuming these renewable resources, we will not be able to bring them back in the future for future generations to use.

2. Non-Renewable - Non-renewable natural resources are those that cannot be duplicated and are only available in finite amounts on the globe. Minerals, Metals, petroleum, and coal are located under the earth's surface. Both of these items are in short supply and are extremely useful and valuable in everyday life.

Other categories of natural resources, in addition to these two, are specified as:

1. Biotic - These are natural resources derived from the global environment and include life-like plants, trees, and animals.

2. Abiotic - These resources include non-living natural resources such as air, water, ground, soil, minerals, and metals.

Both Renewable and Non-Renewable resources are used for various purposes:

Wind energy is produced by the movement of air.

Water is used for drinking and hydroelectric energy production.

Plants and trees provide us with vegetables, fruits, cotton, and wood, which we can use to make paper, furniture, and houses.

Animals provide us with milk, and their skin is used to make soap, shoes, purses, belts, and other products.

Solar energy is generated by the sun, which is used to keep us warm.

Oil is used to power vehicles and generates electricity.

Coins, steel, and jewelry are all made from minerals and metals.

Electricity is generated using coal.

What Causes the Depletion of These Resources?

Over-Population: When the world's population grows at an exponential pace, so does the demand for natural resources.

Urbanization: More cities and towns are springing up to meet the ever-increasing demand for housing and other necessities. Some resources have been exhausted as a result of this.

Industrialization: Several new industries are springing up in both rural and urban areas to create jobs and manufacture consumer goods for everyday use. As a result, our natural resources have been over-exploited.

Deforestation: Deforestation is the degradation of trees on a wide scale. Forest degradation has resulted in a reduction in other natural resources such as soil, water, and wildlife.

Mining and Quarrying: Resources have also been exhausted as a result of unscientific mining and quarrying for the production of minerals and ores.

Overgrazing: Soil erosion is exacerbated by overgrazing by cattle in general, and sheep and goats in particular.

Intensive Agriculture: Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, as well as cultivating the same crop year after year, decreases soil fertility and leaves the soil sick.

Insecticides: Insecticides and industrial waste products have depleted biodiversity in the forest, rivers, wetlands, dams, and oceans.

Soil Erosion: Soil erosion is the process of water or wind transporting nutrient-rich topsoil away. This harms both the soil and the plants.

Let us take a look at the Natural Resources Short Essay.

Short Essay on Natural Resources

Natural resources are those that we receive naturally from the Earth. Natural resources include the flora and fauna in our local area, as well as air, water, and sunshine. Natural resources are classified into two groups. They are renewable natural resources, such as solar energy, as well as non-renewable natural resources, such as fossil fuels.

Renewable natural resources do not deplete and are replenished over time, while non-renewable resources deplete as their use increases. Natural resources are a gift to humanity that must be used responsibly and protected for future generations.

Even though the majority of these natural resources are sustainable and plentiful, human activities do misuse some of them. It takes millions of years for all of those non-renewable resources to form. Unauthorized and irresponsible use of these natural resources would lead to a scarcity of these resources in the future.

The key cause of this threat of natural resource extraction can be identified as population growth. When the world's population increases, so does the need for more natural resources. This involves the over-consumption of lands by sacrificing their true natural value to create massive structures, industrialisation, and so on.

The increased use of new technology and requirements has contaminated our natural resources, such as air, water, and soil, by exposing them to more chemically hazardous wastes. Owing to overuse, raw materials derived from fossil fuels, such as petroleum products, are in danger of becoming extinct.

Many of these risks can be avoided if we use our natural resources more wisely and don't take them for granted. Humans should adopt a more sustainable lifestyle to preserve nature's gifts for future generations.

The above material contained an essay on Natural Resources which had a lot of information about the topic. 

It outlined the ways to write an essay, both, long and short. But, writing is all about creative ideas and is considered to be the most loved form of expression. 

Students shall keep exploring more about the art of writing. The best way to do so is by putting their hands on different topics and trying to describe them in different ways. 

Let us get to know more about the essays, their types, formats, and some of the tips that the students shall be using while writing any piece of content.

What is an essay? 

An essay is a kind of writing piece that is usually short and describes the perspective of a writer. It may showcase an argument, tell a story, highlight an issue or simply, describe a topic. They are very personalized and talk about personal opinions and viewpoints. Since writing is a form of expression and a lot of people love to own their thoughts, essay writing is a skill that everyone should possess.

What is the Format to write an Essay? 

It doesn’t follow a very rigid format. However, it consists of three main parts. 

First, the introduction, which talks about an overview of the prompt that you’ve been given. 

Second, the body, which talks in detail or gives a response to the argument which has been stated in the topic.

Third, is the conclusion, which generally contains the ending lines. It can contain a moral, quote or suggestion. 

Students shall note that since writing is a creative process, there’s no need to confine it within some boundaries. You shall write according to the topic and your flow of ideas. However, an important point that you shall keep in mind is that the content of the writing piece should be organized and easy to understand. If there’s a relatability factor to it, the audience would find it appealing and this way, you can connect with more people.

How many Types of Essays are There? 

There are mainly 4 types of essays. However, it depends on the writer, how and what they want to deliver to their audience. 

Narrative Essay

Descriptive Essay

Persuasive Essay

Expository Essay

What are Short Essays? 

Short essays are generally the kind of essays which doesn’t offer too many details about the prompt but surely highlights all the important points linked to it. 

These kinds of essays are considered to be more interesting and easy to read, because of the length of the content.

What are Long Essays?

Long Essays are generally longer than the others as it contains a lot of information. These are considered to be the ones that have all the details. They may be written in an informal way or even a formal way, depending on what the prompt is.

Tips for Writing Essays

Select a captivating title for it. 

Divide the content into small paragraphs so that it looks more organized. 

Make sure that your content grabs the attention of the reader. 

Your words should give a sense of curiosity in the reader’s mind. 

The essay should be well-paced. 

Avoid using jargon and focus more on simple words. 

Focus on the structure of your essay. 

Avoid making grammatical errors. 

Use correct spellings and punctuations. 

Before writing, you may consider making a rough draft so that it becomes easier for you to organize your points later. 

Understand your topic well so that you can provide only relevant information and don't present an unorganized mess. 

Brainstorm your topic, ask yourself questions, research extensively so that before you start, you get a clearer idea of what your content should be like. 

You may use resources and cite research to make it more interesting for the readers.

FAQs on Natural Resources Essay

1. How can we Conserve/Avoid Water Pollution?

There are two ways to conserve water:

Maintenance of Water Cycle:

In many areas of the world, healthy forests are important for promoting rainfall. As a result, the water cycle would be dependent on tree maintenance and planting.

Swamps, marshes, tanks, and reservoirs must all be closely controlled. Wetland areas, which play an important role in the water cycle, should not be filled with mud and reclaimed as land.

Prevention of Water Pollution:

It is recommended that industrial wastes not be dumped directly into lakes and rivers. If sewage is to be dumped into rivers or streams, it must first be cleaned and filtered.

Oil should not be dumped in the seas by ships or oil tankers.

Cities' organic wastes (sewage) should not be permitted to pollute the water supply. To achieve sewage oxidation, special sewage plants should be built. Finally, sewage-free water can be discharged into rivers and reservoirs.

2. What are Some of the Ways in Which we can Preserve Soil Fertility?

Following are the ways in which we can preserve soil fertility:

It is not advisable to cultivate the same crop year after year. As a consequence, basic elements of a specific kind are depleted in the soil. Different crops should be planted at different times of the year. Crop rotation is a good idea to pursue. It entails rotating between growing a pulse crop or a leguminous crop and some other crop. This is due to the presence of the bacteria rhizobium in the root nodules of leguminous plants, which can fix atmospheric nitrogen.

To substitute what is taken up as nutrients by plants, green manure or synthetic fertilisers should be applied to the soil.

The type of fertiliser to be used for different crops should be addressed with an Agriculture Development Officer or Gram Sevak.

3. How many words long should an essay be? 

An ideal essay should be 400-500 words unless otherwise stated. The words also depend on what you have been asked to write for. Often, the topic is too lengthy and it becomes difficult for you to organise it. While writing, you shall only keep your reader in the mind and then let the ideas flow on a paper.

4. How should an essay be concluded?

The best way to conclude an essay is by presenting your viewpoints or suggestions and ending it with a quote or something similar. However, there is no rule attached to it and students shall rely the most on their creative skills and let the ideas flow as they come.

5. From where can we get to read some of the samples of essays?

Vedantu provides you with a heck of sample essays. You shall simply visit their website or download their mobile app and get access to it. By reading more and more samples, your brain will give you more ideas, and this way your writing skills will improve over time. Remember, the way to write is always reading.

5 ways sustainable forestry can support climate action, development and biodiversity

Sustainable forestry can catalyse climate action. Image:  Timberland Investment Group

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Charlotte Kaiser

.chakra .wef-9dduvl{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-9dduvl{font-size:1.125rem;}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-15eoq1r{margin-top:16px;margin-bottom:16px;line-height:1.388;font-size:1.25rem;color:#F7DB5E;}@media screen and (min-width:56.5rem){.chakra .wef-15eoq1r{font-size:1.125rem;}} SDG 15: Life on Land is affecting economies, industries and global issues

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Stay up to date:, sdg 15: life on land.

• Sustainable forestry can catalyze climate action through reforestation and sustainable management of working forests.
• By increasing demand for sustainably produced forest products, we can incentivize reforestation on a meaningful scale.
• Innovative financing models could combine commercial forestry with the protection and restoration of natural ecosystems.

Envisioning a climate-stable future requires a dual strategy as far as the world’s forests are concerned: protecting and restoring natural forests for all of their ecological and climate benefits while also sustainably managing working forests to drive the global transformation to a sustainable, circular bioeconomy.

Many are uncomfortable at the thought of cutting down a tree. While wood is a useful material, people don't like the idea that it should be harvested from a forest. In a 2017 study commissioned by the North American Forest Partnership, nearly four out of five respondents thought wood was a renewable material; however, fewer than one in five associated the forest sector with sustainability.

That’s an unfortunate misconception and in our current era of climate disasters, it’s becoming a dangerous one. The reality is that sustainable forestry and forest products can help us save the planet from ourselves. Here are five ways how.

Have you read?

Why companies must invest in innovative solutions for forest conservation and restoration, why forest restoration needs a 100-year plan and indigenous multi-gen leadership, 1. investing in reforestation.

The forest sector holds both the responsibility and opportunity to advance some of the solutions the world needs to minimize waste and ensure nature thrives – putting it on the frontline of climate action.

Firstly, forestry’s carbon footprint is already quite low compared with other industries and increasing demand for sustainably produced forest products can drive reforestation at meaningful scales, delivering significant climate benefits. A durable market for sustainable wood products creates economic support for landowners to plant trees, manage the growing forests and replant new trees as they are harvested. Research has shown that when forest product prices rise in the United States, landowners plant more trees.

There is often public concern that increasing demand for forest products drives deforestation of natural forests, yet the opposite is often true. Most deforestation is driven by conversion to agriculture . Driving up the economic value of sustainable working forests is a proven way to prevent the conversion of forests to alternative forms of land use. Research has also found that forests managed for sustained timber production can be more resistant to deforestation, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Guatemala .

Of course, a small share of deforestation results from the demand for forest products. To address this, producers and consumers of these products must make and adhere to firm commitments to deforestation-free operations and supply chains.

2. Investing in natural forest restoration

Given its close relationship with nature, the forest sector is crucial in contributing to regenerating and restoring nature globally through management practices that meaningfully improve the health and resilience of ecosystems, species and people.

Driven by the growing demand among investors for greater climate and nature impact and high-quality nature-based carbon credits, companies, NGOs and communities are innovating new approaches that link financing for commercial forestry with efforts to protect and restore natural ecosystems. These efforts include restoring peatland and wetlands, reintroducing native and endangered tree species on degraded lands, creating wildlife corridors and enhancing soil carbon stocks.

For example, the Timberland Investment Group, where I work, with Conservation International’s support , is undertaking a $1 billion strategy to invest in properties in Latin America that have been previously deforested to protect and restore natural forest on half the land acquired under the strategy and establish sustainably managed commercial tree farms on the other half.

3. Supporting Indigenous peoples and local communities

The traditional territories of Indigenous and local communities cover a quarter of the Earth’s lands but contain 80% of Earth’s remaining biodiversity . It is estimated that nearly 200 million Indigenous people depend on forests for their livelihoods. Support for sustainable forest products can direct capital into Indigenous-managed landscapes while supporting livelihoods that represent an alternative to expanding the agricultural frontier.

There are a growing number of examples of this strategy’s success, including the work being supported by the Nature Conservancy within the Moomba community in Zambia, which has won the right to sustainably harvest and profit from its forest resources.

4. Reducing pressure on intact forests and their biodiversity

Deforestation is a critical threat to biodiversity, and protecting our existing forests is one of the best ways to preserve the world’s remaining forest ecosystems.

Planted forests comprise only 7% of the world’s forest area but provide almost half its commercial timber. Sustainable management of these planted forests can help meet the growing demand for renewable materials while reducing pressure on natural forests and their rich biodiversity.

5. Reducing the carbon footprint of construction

The forest sector is well-positioned to grow the circular bioeconomy using wood from sustainable working forests as a renewable material. Turning sustainably harvested trees into long-lived wood products like mass timber can substitute for carbon-intensive concrete and steel and turn new buildings' walls, floors and ceilings into carbon vaults that persist for decades or longer.

A recent study suggests that widespread adoption of mass timber worldwide could, by 2100, reduce annual global emissions by an amount equivalent to nearly half the total emissions of the entire United States. Scaling up this alternative economic model requires deliberate and collaborative action along the entire forest products value chain and within the broader operating environment.

In short, the forest sector lies at the heart of the needed transition to a low-carbon, circular bioeconomy due to the ability of working forests and sustainable forest products to capture and store carbon; to reduce pressure on intact ecosystems and the species that call them home; to support equitable development across rural landscapes; and provide new funding models for natural restoration at large scales.

Indeed, in the right circumstances, cutting down trees – and replanting them – can deliver all these benefits and more.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Department of Economics

• Undergraduate

Natural Resources Specialist at Bureau of Reclamation

Employer: Bureau of Reclamation - California Great Basin

Expires: 04/26/2024

Natural Resources SpecialistYou must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.Duty Location: Sacramento, CaliforniaSalary$54,203 - $104,280 per yearGS-07 salary range  $54203 - $70,466GS-09 salary range $66,300 - $86,190GS-11 salary range $80,217 - $104,280.Duties-Reviews and provides comments on environmental impact statements and other environmental documents prepared by the Region and other agencies for compliance with policy directives and compliance with the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), California Environmental Quality Act, Endangered Species Act, and other environmental statutes, executive orders, regulations, procedures, and the Reclamation NEPA Handbook.-Synthesizes comments from other reviews and prepares letters of response for the Regional Director's signature.-Reviews planning and other internal/external reports and data dealing with environmental problems and their solution to ensure environmental policy is articulated properly.-Conducts follow up studies or monitors the effects of environmental management policies on activities in the California Great Basin (CGB) Region.-Studies and monitors new developing issues in the environmental field that may have potential impact on Reclamation programs in CGB.-Acts in a liaison capacity with other technical segments of the Regional Office, with natural resources specialists in Reclamation's Denver and Washington offices, and personnel in the project offices on environmental matters affected by various planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance phases and research efforts.-Participates in resolution of conflicting interests and development of mutually advantageous courses of action in cooperation with other segments of the organization.-Participates as member of special Reclamation committees, task forces and groups that are formed to address projects of a special or controversial nature to represent Regional environmental policy positions.-Assembles, coordinates, and oversees interdisciplinary teams in the preparation and processing of assigned environmental impact statements, environmental assessments, environmental commitment plans, environmental assessments, environmental portions of planning reports and other environmental documents prepared by the CGB Region.-Conducts environmental related public meetings with study team and cooperating agency personnel.-Conducts workshops, hearings, meetings and interacts with public interest groups, water districts, individuals, and representatives of Federal, State, and local governments regarding all aspects of preparing and processing environmental documents.-Assures the adequacy of environmental studies such as in-stream flow studies, habitat evaluation procedures (HEP), human use and economic evaluations (HUEE), special estuarine studies, recreation studies, flood plain management and wetland protection evaluations, consultation for rivers on the nationwide inventory, evaluations for effects to prime agricultural lands, studies of special ecosystems, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) planning aid studies, study plans and others. 

What's in Iowa's $8.9 billion state budget for the coming year? We break it down:

Changes to special education funding, a pay bump for judges and money for state park maintenance — just a few of the items tucked into Iowa's $8.91 billion budget for the coming year.

Iowa lawmakers passed the state budget just before adjourning the 2024 legislative session April 20 and heading home for the year.

The spending marks an increase of 4.2%, or $361 million, over last year’s spending of $8.55 billion .

Still, lawmakers budgeted far below what they could have.

This year, the Republican-controlled Legislature is spending just 79.8% of Iowa's $11.16 billion in available revenue, leaving $2.25 billion unspent. Iowa is projected to end the coming fiscal year with a $2.41 billion surplus, $929.9 million in reserve funds and $3.76 billion in the state’s Taxpayer Relief Fund.

By law, the state can spend up to 99% of ongoing revenue.

More: All-night marathon caps Iowa Legislature's 2024 session. What's changing: AEAs, your taxes

This year’s budget funds several notable items, including $10 million for a new Division of Special Education within the Iowa Department of Education that will assume oversight duties over special education services currently performed by Iowa’s Area Education Agencies.

Over the course of negotiations, lawmakers proposed several prominent line items that didn’t make it into the final budget. Left by the wayside were a potential pay raise for lawmakers and statewide elected officials and changes to the state’s district judicial nominating commissions that would have allowed the governor to appoint a majority of the commissions' members.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has yet to sign the new budgets. She has the power to veto specific line items included in budget bills.

More: Our look at the biggest bills that passed and failed in the Iowa Legislature's 2024 session

Here’s a look at what’s in the state budget.

Click to go to the specific spending that interests you:

Standing appropriations | Health and Human Services | Education | Justice system | Transportation | Infrastructure | Judicial branch | Agriculture and natural resources | Administration and regulation | Economic development

Standing appropriations, including K-12 education funding

General fund: $4.61 billion ($201.7 million increase)

What it funds: Senate File 2443 funds the state’s annual standing appropriations, including $3.78 billion in state aid for K-12 public schools and $179.2 million for Iowa’s private school education savings accounts.

Cuts to AEA budget: Lawmakers approved a $32.5 million cut to the budget for the state’s Area Education Agencies. That includes a $7.5 million cut required by law and $10 million to fund a new Division of Special Education within the Iowa Department of Education.

Lawmakers said they are using $14 million to raise pay for paraeducators and other non-salaried school staff. The final $1 million returns to the state’s general fund.

Paraeducator pay increase: The $14 million to raise pay for paraeducators and other non-salaried school staff was part of a deal struck in House File 2612 , which overhauled the AEAs and raised teacher salaries.

Money for Iowa’s education savings accounts: The state plans to spend $179.2 million on education savings accounts, which families can use to pay private school costs. That’s a $51.3 million increase over what the state is spending on the program this year. Families approved for accounts will receive $7,826 per student.

The nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency expects about 6,100 additional students to use education savings accounts in the coming year, which it predicts would bring total enrollment in the program to 22,900 students.

Immigration enforcement: The budget also includes $2 million in new money for the Department of Public Safety to fund 12 positions "to address the rise in illegal immigration and related criminal conduct such as drug trafficking and human trafficking."

Health and Human Services

General fund: $2.21 billion ($88.6 million increase)

Other funds: $468.5 million ($360,000 increase)

What it funds: House File 2698 funds the Department of Health and Human Services, which includes the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Thrive Iowa: The budget allows HHS to spend up to $8 million on “Thrive Iowa,” a new program Reynolds announced in her Condition of the State address that will use state navigators to refer Iowans to services from private providers, including churches and nonprofits. The program is modeled after Hope Florida , a similar program that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis put in place.

Traveling nurse regulations: The bill places new regulations on staffing agencies for temporary nursing services. Agencies would be required to register with the Department of Inspections, Licenses and Appeals or face being banned from contracting with health care providers in Iowa. The department would be required to create a new system for the public to file complaints about temporary nursing staffers.

Temporary staffing agencies would be required to maintain liability insurance coverage and meet all state licensing and certification requirements. They would be barred from using noncompete clauses for workers.

Staffing agencies would be required to submit quarterly reports to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services listing the average amounts they charge to the health care providers they contract with, and the average pay each type of temporary health care worker receives.

Nursing home trainings: The state’s Department of Inspections, Licensing and Appeals is required to provide semi-annual training for nursing homes and nursing home inspectors covering at least three of the 10 most common citations issued during the preceding year.

General fund: $1.02 billion ($35.4 million increase)

Other funds: $34 million (no change)

What it funds: Senate File 2435 funds operations and staffing for Iowa’s Department of Education, Department for the Blind and the universities governed by the Board of Regents.

Division of Special Education: The budget allocates $10 million to fund a new Division of Special Education created within the Iowa Department of Education as part of Reynolds’ bill overhauling the AEAs. The division is authorized to hire up to 62 positions responsible for overseeing the special education services provided by the AEAs. Its funding will come from money previously allocated to the AEAs.

DEI restrictions on campus: Language in the budget prohibits the University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa from establishing, maintaining or assigning employees for diversity, equity and inclusion operations, as well as compelling or requiring DEI statements from anyone. The ban excludes positions solely focused on compliance with state and federal law.

The language codifies existing directives the Iowa Board of Regents adopted last fall.

2.5% funding increase for public universities: The University of Iowa, Iowa State University and the University of Northern Iowa see a 2.5% funding increase through this budget, about $12.3 million, bringing total state general aid funding for the Board of Regents to $573 million.

The state’s community colleges receive a 3% funding increase, or $7 million, bringing their total state general aid funding to $236 million.

Open enrollment deadline for schools: Iowa parents will face a March 1 deadline to let schools know if they plan to open-enroll their student in another school district. The deadline contains exceptions for good cause. The language in the budget reverses a law passed just two years ago that removed the deadline.

Chronic student absences: The budget includes language setting new rules for schools governing when students must be considered chronically absent. It requires schools to meet with students and parents if a student has missed 15% of school days and to create an absenteeism prevention plan.

Violating the terms of the plan would be considered a misdemeanor public offense, punishable by a fine, jail time or community service.

Justice system

General fund: $693.3 million ($24 million increase)

Other funds: $19.5 million (no change)

What it funds: House File 2693 funds the Iowa Department of Corrections, Department of Justice, Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Office of the State Public Defender, the Board of Parole and the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy.

Higher salaries for starting corrections officers: The budget includes a $11.9 million increase for the Department of Corrections that will allow the department to hire new corrections officers at a starting salary of $24 per hour. The department will be required to send a report to lawmakers by Dec. 15 detailing how the higher starting pay affects the overall salary scale for current state prison employees.

Raises for court-appointed attorneys: Pay for court-appointed attorneys is going up by $3 per hour. It’s the third year in a row that lawmakers have raised pay for indigent defense attorneys, who represent low-income Iowans.

The new pay rates will be $86 per hour for class A felonies, $81 per hour for class B felonies and $76 per hour for all other cases.

Boost for attorney general’s office: Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird will receive a $2.8 million budget increase, allowing her office to hire six new full-time employees.

Transportation

General fund: $0

Other funds: $453.1 million ($1.8 million decrease)

What it funds: Senate File 2422 funds the Department of Transportation and transportation-related infrastructure. The department is funded through the state’s Road Use Tax Fund and Primary Road Fund.

Infrastructure

Other funds: $222.4 million

What it funds: House File 2691 funds major maintenance, repairs and improvements to infrastructure projects across the state, as well as renewable fuel infrastructure incentives, tourism efforts and more. The money comes from Iowa's Rebuild Iowa Infrastructure Fund and Technology Reinvestment Fund.

State park maintenance: The budget spends $6 million on maintenance of Iowa's state park system, including $1 million in one-time money for projects to increase accessibility to the parks for people with disabilities.

Iowa judicial branch

General fund: $220.2 million ($7.7 million increase)

Other funds: $0

What it funds: Senate File 2436 funds Iowa’s judicial branch.

Pay bump for judges: Lawmakers included $2.4 million for a 5% pay increase for all judges and magistrates, fulfilling a request from Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen to compete with neighboring states’ salaries for judges. A lobbyist for the Iowa Judicial Branch told lawmakers Iowa will still be “dead last” in judicial salaries compared to surrounding states, even with the raise.

The budget also includes changes to Iowa’s judicial pension system that will result in the state picking up a higher percentage of the contributions, while lessening the amount judges need to put in.

Agriculture and natural resources

General fund: $46 million ($2.4 million increase)

Other funds: $97.1 million ($646,000 increase)

What it funds: Senate File 2421 funds the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Food assistance pilot program : $200,000 will go toward the launch of a pilot program that helps schools and food banks purchase locally sourced foods through the Choose Iowa initiative.

State park maintenance : The budget spends $1 million on state park maintenance, repair and refurbishment and another $296,228 on improving state parks' accessibility for people with disabilities.

Aquifer mapping: The Iowa Geological Survey will receive $250,000 to map and assess the conditions of the state's underground aquifers, including measuring the volume of groundwater available in Iowa, how quickly it replenishes and models for budgeting Iowa's water supply in the future.

Administration and regulation

General fund: $71.6 million ($1.1 million increase)

Other funds: $67.1 million ($246,000 increase)

What it funds: Senate File 2433 funds several of Iowa's statewide elected offices: the governor, the state auditor, the secretary of state and the state treasurer, plus their employees.

And it funds several administrative and regulatory agencies, including the Department of Administrative Services, the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, the Department of Management, the Department of Revenue, the Department of Insurance and Financial Services, the Iowa Utilities Board, the Iowa Public Information Board, the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board and the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS).

Election training for county officials: A $445,000 funding increase for Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate will fund a team to train county auditors and office staff in election administration and compliance. Pate had asked for the money to help train poll workers around the state.

Another $50,000 will go toward creating a pilot program for the secretary of state to identify ineligible voters. Iowa was one of a number of states last year that left the Electronic Registration Information Center , a multistate organization aimed at helping states improve the accuracy of their voter rolls.

Economic development

General fund: $42 million ($184,000 increase)

Other funds: $34.4 million (no change)

What it funds: Senate File 2432 funds the Iowa Economic Development Authority, the Iowa Finance Authority, the Public Employment Relations Board, the Iowa Department of Workforce Development and the Iowa Board of Regents.

Automation in manufacturing: The budget sets out $2 million for the Iowa Manufacturing 4.0 program, which aims to implement automation technologies such as advanced robotics, augmented reality and cybersecurity.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at  [email protected]  or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at  @sgrubermiller .

Galen Bacharier covers politics for the Register. Reach him at  [email protected] m   or (573) 219-7440, and follow him on Twitter @galenbacharier .