Lesson XXVI: Vocabulary in Context

2.5. RENEWABLE RESOURCES, etc. Situation: John and Ali are talking on the subject of a sustainable development. Ali: What do you mean by the term of a SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT? John: I mean a stable development on the long run, that is, for many years or centuries to come. Ali: Does a sustainable development of human kind rely on natural resources? John: Presently, it does. But, it shouldn’t. At least, not as much. Whatever abundant the resources of this planet might be, they are, in principle, EXHAUSTIBLE. That is, they are not infinite. At the beginning of the industrial revolution, the consciousness about the limitations was negligible. During 20 th century, the economic development was seen as an ever-increasing production and selling of anything. As a result, the depletion of all resources was indiscriminate and thorough. As the awareness of self-extinction began growing so the issue of a sustainable development begins featuring the top of the agenda. Ali: You mean the application of the principle a “development on NATURAL INCOME instead of on NATURAL CAPITAL,” don’t you? John: Definitely. The utilization of resources like solar or wind energy is an example of the development relying on natural income instead of capital. Ali: So hydrocarbons are considered as UNRENEWABLE resources? John: Certainly. The deposits of crude oil, gas or coal are the results of the process that lasted hundreds of millions of years. Thus, every gallon of gasoline extracted from the ground and combusted in an engine as a source of energy is lost forever. There is no substitution technology. Therefore, the “development” based on the utilization of NATURAL CAPITAL is not a “development” whatsoever. It is the exploitation of natural resources followed by the degradation of the environment. Exercise: 2.5.1. Practice RENEWABLE RESOURCES, etc. Answer the following questions. 1. What does the term SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT mean? 2. Should the development of human kind rely on natural resources? 3. Do renewable resources assume natural capital or natural income? 4. What are some renewable natural resources? 5. What are some unrenewable natural resources? 6. Is there a technology for the substitution of hydrocarbons as energy source? 7. What is the development based on the utilization of natural capital?