Abstract: Environmental Aspects of International Energy and Mineral Development

Patsy T. Mink

The demands for development, together with excessive rates of population growth in many countries, are putting increasing pressures on the earth's resources. A concomitant problem is that accelerating economic development brings with it increasing or new environmental (including health) problems associated with industrialization. Development may "solve" some broad environmental problems such as standards of living, but issues ranging from pollution to resource mismanagement can be exacerbated.

Environmental issues related to energy and minerals development can have serious local (e.g., loss of agricultural land), regional (e.g., long-range transport of pollutants), or even global (e.g., carbon dioxide) impacts. Furthermore, the increasingly high costs of exploiting depleted minerals sources will affect the poorer countries much more heavily than the industrialized ones.

The issue of energy and mineral development presents potential serious conflict between the "needs" of industrialized and developing countries. However, the picture may not be so bleak if a variety of possible approaches are implemented by both developed and developing countries, including the use of low-waste and nonwaste technologies. The application of other technologic approaches, such as utilization of renewable resources and appropriate technologies which are less resource intensive and wasteful, is also crucial. New international economic arrangements may be required. Reallocation of existing wealth is unlikely, but more cooperative utilization of resources and approaches to environmental issues are not unreasonable.

The United States is involved in several activities relevant to these issues: preparations for the 1979 UN Science and Technology Conference; support for the program of UNEP; retargeting its AID program. Industry must play a role as well: for example, by exchange of suitable technology, environmentally sound investment, and exploitation of resources.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90962©1978 AAPG 2nd Circum-Pacific Energy and Minerals Resource Conference, Honolulu, Hawaii