Chapter 14. Resources, Environment and Sustainability

Resources are materials that people value. Renewable resources (solar, wind, water, forests when managed well) regenerate; non-renewable resources (coal, oil, natural gas, minerals) are finite on human timescales [4].

Energy. Fossil fuels still supply most of the world’s energy, though renewable capacity is growing rapidly. Major oil and gas reserves are concentrated in a small number of regions, including the Middle East, Russia and North America [11].

Environmental problems. Deforestation, soil erosion, desertification, water scarcity, air and water pollution, plastic waste and biodiversity loss [14][16].

Sustainable development. The 2015 United Nations 2030 Agenda set out 17 Sustainable Development Goals, covering poverty, hunger, health, education, gender equality, clean water, energy, climate action and life on land and below water [27].

Review: Choose one Sustainable Development Goal and explain how geography affects progress on it.