Effectiveness of renewable and non-renewable approaches Sustainable use of resources
To meet increasing global energy demands and reduce environmental impact, countries around the world will need to combine renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
The world's natural resources have conflicting demands upon them and can be difficult to manage.
Conflicting demands for resources
To conserve natural resources for future generations, sustainable management of the natural environment is necessary.
Alternative resources might be developed in order to ease the strain on finite resources.
However, alternative resources can be expensive and take time to develop. Existing resources could be used more efficiently, to prevent finite resources being used up so quickly.
Sustainable resource management
There are ways to limit the damage caused by humans to the environment.
Limiting carbon emissions generated from industrial and domestic use of fuels can assist in reducing pollution levels and limit environmental problems such as global warming and acid rain.
Some nations, including the UK, signed the Kyoto Protocol to say they will try to reduce carbon emissions.
Resource substitution is another sustainable way in which resources can be managed. For example, renewable resources can be used instead of finite resources, such as electric power produced from tidal, wind or solar power instead of fossil fuels.
The UN believes it may cost between $500 billion and $600 billion every year for the next ten years to allow developing nations to grow using renewable energy resources, instead of relying on fossil fuels that worsen global warming.
