Natural Resource Conflicts and Sustainable Development

摘要

At a time when the world is grappling to address climate change and sustainability concerns, the definition of sustainability itself and the definition of development and growth derived, associated or decoupled from sustainability are still continuously discussed and debated. The coupling of sustainability and development as 'sustainable development' focuses on development of a country within certain parameters that are identified as 'sustainable'; yet the foundation of such measures still depends on the extraction and development of natural resources for the survival of humankind. These natural resources are a prerequisite for the existence and survival of humankind and yet these resources are the most stressed, extremely vulnerable, severely damaged, and, in certain cases, on the verge of extinction due to the involvement of humans. The role of humans in context to natural resources is dual-as an exploiter and a conserver-and the paradox of this relationship is vividly discussed in Natural Resource Conflicts and Sustainable Development.