Natural resource management in Indonesia

Natural resources (commonly abbreviated as SDA) are all things that arise naturally that can be used to fulfill human needs in general. Included not only are biotic components, such as animals, plants, and microorganisms, but also abiotic components, such as petroleum, natural gas, various types of metals, water and soil. Technological innovations, advances in civilization and human populations, and the industrial revolution have bring people to the era of exploitation of natural resources so that their supply continues to decrease significantly, especially in the past century.

 

Carrying capacity of the environment:

The ability of the environment to support the lives of all living things which includes the availability of natural resources to meet basic needs and the availability of enough space to live at a certain level of social stability is called environmental carrying capacity. The existence of natural resources on earth is not spread evenly so that the carrying capacity of the environment in each region will be different. Therefore, the utilization must be maintained in a sustainable manner and exploitation must be avoided. Environmental maintenance and development must be carried out in a rational manner, including the following:

1. Utilize natural resources that can be renewed carefully and efficiently, for example: water, land and air.    

2. Using substitutes, for example metallurgical (mixed) results.    

3. Developing more efficient and recyclable mining and processing methods.    

4. Implement environmental ethics by preserving nature.    

Natural resources in Indonesia:

Indonesia is the country with the second highest level of biodiversity in the world after Brazil. This fact shows the high diversity of biological natural resources owned by Indonesia and this, based on the Nagoya Protocol, will be the backbone of sustainable economic development (green economy). Indonesia's abundant natural wealth is formed by several factors, including:

From an astronomical perspective, Indonesia is located in a tropical area that has high rainfall so that many types of plants can live and grow quickly.

In terms of geology, Indonesia is located at the point of tectonic plate movement so that many mountains are formed that are rich in minerals.

Water areas in Indonesia are rich in food sources for various types of marine plants and animals, and also contain various types of mineral sources.

Natural resources in Indonesia are not limited to their biological wealth. Various regions in Indonesia are also known as producers of various types of mining materials, such as petroleum, tin, natural gas, nickel, copper, bauxite, tin, coal, gold, and silver. In addition, Indonesia also has fertile soil and is good for various types of plants. The waters which reach 7.9 million km2 also provide enormous natural potential.

 

 Natural resources and economic growth:

Natural resources and the level of a country's economy have a close relationship, where natural resource wealth will theoretically support rapid economic growth. However, in reality this is very contradictory because countries in the world that are rich in natural resources are often is a country with a low economic level. This case in the economic field is often also called Dutch disease. Corruption, civil war, weak governance and democracy are also inhibiting factors in the economic development of these countries. Examples of countries that have succeeded in overcoming this and making natural wealth a trigger for the country's growth are Norway and Botswana.

 

Utilization of natural resources:

Natural resources have a role in meeting human needs. To facilitate the assessment, the utilization of natural resources is divided based on their nature, namely biological and non-biological natural resources. 

Biological resources:

Plant

Plants are very diverse and abundant natural resources. These organisms have the ability to produce oxygen and starch through photosynthesis. Excessive exploitation of plants can lead to damage and even extinction and this will have an impact on the destruction of the food chain. Human use of plants, among others.

Food ingredients: rice, corn, wheat, sugar cane

Building materials: teak, mahogany

Fuel (biosolar): palm oil

Medicine: ginger, binahong leaves, quinine, crown of the god

Compost.

Agriculture and farming

Indonesia is known as an agrarian country because most of the population of Indonesia has a livelihood in agriculture or farming. Statistical data in 2001 showed that 45% of Indonesia's population worked in agriculture. Agriculture in Indonesia produces a variety of export commodity crops, including rice, corn, soybeans, vegetables, chili, sweet potatoes, and cassava. In addition, Indonesia is also known for its plantation products, including rubber (tire raw material), palm oil (raw material for cooking oil), tobacco (medicine and cigarette raw material), cotton (textile raw material), coffee (beverage material) , and sugar cane (raw sugar).

 

Animals, livestock and fisheries

Animal natural resources can be wild animals or animals that have been cultivated. Utilization can be as an assistant to heavy human work, such as buffalo and horses or as a source of food, such as poultry and cattle. In situ preservation is preservation carried out in its original habitat, while ex situ preservation is preservation by moving the animal from its habitat to another place.

Non-biological natural resources

It is a natural resource whose existence can be cultivated and can be utilized continuously, for example: water, wind, sunlight, and mining products.

 

Water

Water is one of the main needs of living things and the earth itself is dominated by territorial waters. Of the total existing water area, 97% is salt water (sea area, ocean, etc.) and only 3% is fresh water (river area, lake, etc. In the energy sector, water use technology as a source of electricity in lieu of petroleum has been and will continue to grow because in addition to being renewable, energy produced from water tends not to pollute and this will reduce the greenhouse effect.

 

Wind

In this era, the use of petroleum, coal, and various types of fuel from mining products began to be replaced by the use of energy produced by wind. The wind is able to produce energy using turbines which are generally placed at a height of more than 30 meters in the highlands. Some countries that have applied wind turbines as alternative energy sources are the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

 

Soil

Land is one of the non-biological natural resources which is important to support population growth and as a food source for various types of living things. Soil is composed of several components, such as air, water, minerals, and organic compounds. The management of non-biological resources has become very important given the rapid increase in the world's population and the current environmental pollution conditions.

 

Mining products

Mining natural resources have a variety of functions for human life, such as basic infrastructure, motor vehicles, energy sources, as well as jewelry. Some countries, such as Indonesia and Arabia, have enormous revenues from this sector. Some examples of mining materials and their use:

Crude oil

Avtur for aircraft fuel;

Gasoline for motor vehicle fuel;

Kerosene as a raw material for oil lamps;

Diesel fuel for diesel vehicles;

LNG (Liquid Natural Gas) for gas stove fuels;

Oil is an ingredient for engine lubricants;

Vaseline is an ointment for medicinal ingredients;

Paraffin for wax making materials; and

Asphalt for road building materials (produced on Buton Island)

Coal

used for industrial and household fuels.

 

Iron ore

For household appliances, agriculture and others

 

Copper

is a type of metal which is yellowish, soft and easily forged.

 

Bauxite

As a basic material for making aluminum.

 

Nickel

For iron coating material so it is not easy to rust.

 

Natural gas

For fuel gas stoves

 

Graphite

Useful for making pencils.