The main problems of the natural and resource basis of the Russian economy

Natural resources form the basis of human civilization, its economic potential. All the necessary materials for production people receive from the environment. Undoubtedly, the development of science and technology, changes in the economic sphere often dramatically change the direction, scale and forms of the use of natural resources. At present, the fund of secondary materials created by labor has been formed. Nevertheless, the primary sources of material and energy potential are natural resources.

Issues of Ecology in the Russian Federation

What is the natural resource base of the Russian economy? On the territory of the country there is a huge amount of natural materials and raw materials. It must be said that with the development of scientific and technical progress their role in the development of society is only increasing. This is primarily due to the increasing needs of the population. For the production of a sufficient amount of products, an appropriate volume of raw materials is needed. Therefore, more and more materials are being extracted from the environment. In the 17th century, the natural resource base of the Russian economy was formed mainly at the expense of forests and cultivated land. By the 19th century, iron ore and hard coal had come to the forefront.

What are the problems of the natural resource base of the Russian economy?

At present, there is an increase in oil, non-ferrous metals and gas production. Today, untouched landscapes suitable for recreation, rare reserves, atomic raw materials, fresh water are becoming increasingly important . The natural and resource base of the Russian economy requires a careful attitude to itself. Natural reserves are limited. Maintaining the intensity of economic growth through increased use of natural resources is almost exhausted. At the present time, the limitations of land, forest and water reserves have become more and more obvious. What are the most urgent problems of the natural resource base of the Russian economy today? To them it is possible to carry:

1. Pollution of water and air.
2. The degradation of the land.
3. Noise pollution.
4. Intensive use of forests, animals, flora, subsoil.
5. Radiation pollution.

The problems of the natural resource base of the economy in Russia should be solved at the governmental level. Various programs for the rational use of reserves have been developed.

Types of stocks

The natural resource base of the Russian economy is classified into different groups depending on one or other of the characteristics. So, in terms of economic importance, there are:

1. Balance reserves. They are called still conditioned. Balance is considered to be such resources, the use of which is economically justified and expedient at the current moment. They meet industry requirements both in terms of quality and technical conditions of use.
2. Off-balance reserves (substandard). These include resources, the exploitation of which is currently impractical. This is due to the low capacity of the deposits, the low content of the valuable component, the complexity of operating conditions, the need to introduce special processing methods. However, off-balance reserves may subsequently become the object of development.

On the economic basis, resources are divided into:

1. Material-industrial, industrial and agricultural, including. This group includes: metals, fuel, fish, timber, water objects and so on. Agricultural stocks include fodder plants, soil, commercial animals, and so on.
2. Nonproductive resources. Among them, among others, are objects of direct (wild-growing crops, commercial animals, drinking water) and indirect consumption (free landscapes for recreation, for example).

Air and water pollution

These problems of the natural resource base of the Russian economy are considered today as priority. Air pollution is especially important in large settlements. In such cities, natural ventilation has practically no effect. In addition, mobile and stationary sources of pollution have a negative impact. As for water bodies, their pollution is caused by the development of the industrial complex and urbanization. Available resources in the territories surrounding the cities are often quickly depleted or degraded so that the marginal costs of water supply are increased several times. This is due primarily to the need to master the facilities in a significant distance from populated areas. In addition, a large amount of money is spent on cleaning and processing incoming water due to its poor quality.

Effects

Problems of the natural resource base of the Russian economy affect other spheres of public life. Thus, the negative impact of polluted air leads to constant complaints from the population about obsessive, unpleasant odors, a statistically significant increase in morbidity and mortality. As for water, it is now noted that about 50% of the population is forced to use raw materials that do not meet sanitary and hygienic requirements. More than 60% of the coastlines are subject to erosion and flooding. This causes serious damage to the national economic complex and acts as an additional polluting source of the marine water area.

Possible Solutions

The natural and resource base of the Russian economy, the problems of which are becoming more and more large every year, requires close attention not only from the state, but also from the society itself. For the improvement of the air, for example, target programs, projects for the reconstruction and reorganization of harmful industries are being developed at the federal level. Scientific work is being done, new units are being created, new methods of water purification are being developed. In order to solve the existing problems of the natural resource base of the Russian economy, it is necessary to strictly observe the established requirements and standards. It depends on the users themselves, consumers. At the state and regional levels, control services have been established to ensure that the requirements are verified.

Noise pollution

It has long been proven that such an effect causes significant harm to health. As the results of the research show, citizens living in the territory of acoustic discomfort are more often than others suffering from diseases of the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, sleep and breathing disorders. To correct this situation at the municipal and interdepartmental levels it is necessary:

• To develop better transport schemes, to build bypass roads, to redistribute traffic flows.
• Expand the highways, deepen, build protective screens.
• To conduct the construction of new houses in the maximum distance from streets of urban importance, major roads.
• The construction of buildings with noise protection and so on.

Land degradation

The natural resource base of the Russian economy and its assessment are of key importance for the development of agricultural production. Currently, there is a deterioration in the state of land. Soil degradation is proceeding at a rapid pace. It was established that humus content decreased by 43% of plowed areas. The balance of natural resources of the economy in Russia is in a very tense state. In connection with the crisis in agriculture, the culture of agriculture is at a sufficiently low level. There is no reduction in areas exposed to radioactive effects.

Violations

The main problems of the natural resource base of the Russian economy arise from the reluctance to comply with the requirements or improper fulfillment of their requirements by economic entities. In 55% of the country's regions, compulsory land reclamation works are not carried out. For 30% of regions, this problem is assessed as a priority. They are mainly referred to as territories with a developed sphere of extractive industry, northern regions, where the system of self-restoration practically does not work.

Use of mineral resources

The state in which the natural resource base of the Russian economy is located, the problems and prospects for the development of the production sector are relevant for all economic entities. Especially they are important for enterprises of the extractive and processing industry. Mining operations have a negative impact on the environment. This influence is strengthened due to the plight of many mining enterprises, the lack of an effective program for the use and conservation of mineral resources. The natural and resource base of the Russian economy, the problems and prospects for its further exploitation should be regulated by normative documents. However, there are many shortcomings and gaps in them. This further exacerbates the current situation. The relevance of the issue of the integrated use of mineral raw materials is not decreasing. At a fairly low level, today there is an emergency response of hazardous objects in the ore industry. The problems of the natural resource base of the economy are in many cases provoked by obsolescence of technological equipment, technologies and methods of extraction and processing.

Animals, forest, plants

They form the renewable natural resource base of the economy. However, due to large-scale human activities, this part of natural reserves is actively degraded. Significant damage is caused by forest fires. In some areas, the intensity of desertification processes does not decrease. The priority today is the problem of preserving the animal world, fish resources in particular. Its solution is related to the protection, supervision, regulation of the use of natural areas.

Radiation pollution

It can touch water objects, surface air, terrain. Radiation pollution causes serious problems of the natural resource base of the economy. Mainly, they are conditioned:

1. Lack of reliable technologies and methods of waste storage.
2. The slow pace of modernization at nuclear power facilities, untimely replacement of the equipment elements that have reached their end, and an inadequate degree of safety in the repair of facilities.
3. Accumulation in the industrial enterprises and in medical institutions of products having radiation protection from depleted uranium, to be replaced or not used.

Environmental policy

The natural and resource base of the Russian economy, the problems of which require an immediate solution, must be protected by the state. The country's environmental policy is aimed at creating appropriate conditions for reducing the anthropogenic impact on the environment to an acceptable level and restructuring this impact. Maintenance of life-supporting systems of the biosphere, protection and reproduction of reserves are paramount actions required by the natural resource base of the Russian economy. The problems facing today can be solved as follows:

1. Improvement of the regulatory system. This includes a justified delineation of the powers of federal, local, regional executive structures.
2. Development of the institution of state property, taking into account the division of competence between the state and the subjects.
3. Reform and improve the system of economic assessment and accounting of natural resources, environmental restrictions, licensing of the use of stocks.
4. A gradual change in tax legislation aimed at increasing the share of environmental payments while lowering rates on other fees.
5. Improvement of economic and financial mechanisms for the reproduction of reserves, development of the services market and work in the field of nature management.

Of no small importance is the conduct of research activities, the development and implementation of new technologies and methods in the field of rational use, conservation and restoration of mineral resources.