Resource Security 1 - concept of a
resource - key terms and concepts
Stock Resources - -Non-renewable resources which can be permanently
expended. There is a finite supply. Their quantity is expressed in absolute amounts
rather than rates, for example, oil.
Flow resources - -Resources that are renewable and can be replaced by nature
whether humans use them or not.
Critical flow resources - -Resources that are only renewable if human use remains
at or below their capacity to regenerate, e.g. biomass
Resource - -A substance in the environment that is useful to people, is
economically and technologically feasible to access, and is socially acceptable to
use.
Resource security - -The ability of a country to safeguard a reliable and
sustainable flow of resources to maintain the living standards of their population,
whilst ensuring continued economic and social development
Exploitation (in the context of Resource Security) - -The action of using natural
resources to the fullest or for the most profitable use
Exploration (in the context of Resource Security) - -The process of searching an
area with the intention of finding and mapping natural resources
Stock resource evaluation - -This is carried out in order to evaluate a stock
resource in terms of the confidence in resources/reserves available for exploitation
Reserves - -The part of a resource that is available for use under existing economic
and political conditions, and with available technology
Measured reserves - -Reserves of a resource that are well-established and can be
estimated with confidence.
resource - key terms and concepts
Stock Resources - -Non-renewable resources which can be permanently
expended. There is a finite supply. Their quantity is expressed in absolute amounts
rather than rates, for example, oil.
Flow resources - -Resources that are renewable and can be replaced by nature
whether humans use them or not.
Critical flow resources - -Resources that are only renewable if human use remains
at or below their capacity to regenerate, e.g. biomass
Resource - -A substance in the environment that is useful to people, is
economically and technologically feasible to access, and is socially acceptable to
use.
Resource security - -The ability of a country to safeguard a reliable and
sustainable flow of resources to maintain the living standards of their population,
whilst ensuring continued economic and social development
Exploitation (in the context of Resource Security) - -The action of using natural
resources to the fullest or for the most profitable use
Exploration (in the context of Resource Security) - -The process of searching an
area with the intention of finding and mapping natural resources
Stock resource evaluation - -This is carried out in order to evaluate a stock
resource in terms of the confidence in resources/reserves available for exploitation
Reserves - -The part of a resource that is available for use under existing economic
and political conditions, and with available technology
Measured reserves - -Reserves of a resource that are well-established and can be
estimated with confidence.
