Saudi Arabia is a small country in the Middle East and is slightly larger than Mexico. The nation has been a leading exporter ever since oil was discovered in With It also has the fourth-largest natural gas reserves. Saudi Arabia's other natural resources include copper , feldspar, phosphate, silver, sulfur, tungsten, and zinc.
Ninety percent of China's resources are coal and rare earth metals. However, timber is another major natural resource found in China. Other resources that China produces are antimony, coal, gold, graphite, lead, molybdenum, phosphates, tin, tungsten, vanadium, and zinc. China is the world's second-largest producer of bauxite, cobalt, copper, manganese, and silver.
It also has chromium and gem diamond. World Atlas. United States Geological Survey. Accessed Sept. Energy Information Administration. Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Emerging Markets. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Investopedia.
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Part Of. Global Players. Economy Economics. Table of Contents Expand. The DRC. The United States. Key Takeaways Natural resources are valuable to the countries where they are found as they are extracted to produce goods and services. Mining is the primary industry for many of the countries on this list.
The Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals provide a chance for countries to leverage actions leading to real change, he added. Noting that today marks the first time that WMO has officially briefed the Council on climate and extreme weather issues, he said climate change affects security in a multitude of ways, rolling back gains in access to food, heightening the risks of wildfire and increasing the potential for water-related conflict.
As such, WMO is increasing its support to help the United Nations Operations and Crisis Centre provide expert information and assist the leadership in making informed, strategic decisions, he said. First, it should adopt a resolution formally recognizing climate change as a threat to international peace and security.
Secondly, deployed United Nations missions should assess how climate change will impact local youth and how young people can be involved in building resilience and sustainability. Third, missions must transition to using clean energy in the field. He went on to propose the creation of an institutional focal point, such as a clearing house, which could pull together expertise from across the United Nations system to provide information to the Council.
Such discussions also undercut the division of labour within the United Nations, he added. Moreover, climate change is not a universal challenge and should not be considered as such, he stressed, cautioning that doing so might lead to the false assumption that climate change always leads to conflict.
It is also questionable to shift climate law-making from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a structurally unrepresentative institution with an exclusionary approach decided in secretive deliberations.
Widely representing the views of small island developing States, the Foreign Minister of Maldives said climate change will eventually take his entire country. They should take into account the greater risks, burdens and adverse impacts on women and girls during and following disasters, including the heightened risk of gender-based violence.
He suggested that all proposals raised today should be collected and provided to the Secretary-General. The proposals included the appointment of a special representative on climate change and security, and representation of small island developing States on the Security Council.
She said that a report issued by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC last October predicted more heat waves, heavier rain events, higher sea levels and more severe damage to agriculture. These trends represent a security risk for the entire world, she added, noting that their consequences are felt most strongly in regions that are already vulnerable and where climate change and extreme weather compound existing grievances and threats.
The relationship between climate-related risks and conflict is complex and often intersects with political, social, economic and demographic factors, she emphasized.
For example, a series of climate-related disasters has struck Haiti since the earthquake, contributing to instability and a prolonged humanitarian crisis, she pointed out.
In the Sahel and the Sudan, climate change has heightened competition for diminishing land, forage and water resources, fuelling tensions between herders and farmers. In the Lake Chad Basin, climate change contributes to unpredictable rainfall patterns that impede traditional livelihood options, compound socioeconomic exclusion and reduce the opportunity costs of joining armed groups. In Somalia, more frequent and longer droughts have been a major factor in the displacement of more than 2.
She went on to recall that the Secretary-General has articulated a broad vision for prevention and made it a priority.
The United Nations is also working to ensure that such analysis is better reflected in mandated reports. The Organization also seeks to strengthen the evidence base to support the development of climate risk prevention and management strategies at the field level, she said, inviting Member States and other interested parties to undertake a review of good practices that will inform that effort.
Describing climate change as a risk multiplier that exacerbates already existing challenges, he warned that without swift action to address it, more than million people in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia will be forced to migrate within their national borders by Indeed, the links between climate change and its effects on the biosphere are becoming ever clearer, and greater efforts are needed to act in defence of the poorest of the poor, he continued.
Calling for an integrated agenda incorporating such critical issues as climate change, disaster risk reduction and development, he said the Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals provide a chance for countries to leverage actions leading to real change. Underlining the urgent need to scale up action in adherence to the global target of limiting warming to 1.
The report also indicates that extreme weather, natural disasters, climate change and water crises are the top four existential threats to the planet, demonstrating significant links with other shocks and impacts on peace and security as well as sustainable development. Noting that it has been about 4 million years since the Earth last experienced a concentration of carbon dioxide comparable to the current record levels, he cited WMO findings that the previous four years have been the warmest, characterized by high-impact weather events bearing the hallmark of climate change.
He went on to cite a WMO-UNEP special report on threats posed by global temperature increases, pointing out that was the costliest and most impactful Atlantic hurricane season in observable history. In , flooding wreaked devastating effects on many countries, he noted.
India suffered its worst-ever flooding since the s, which displaced 1. Floods destroyed thousands of homes and affected many parts of East Africa, including Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and the United Republic of Tanzania, he added, pointing out that, of the Noting that today marks the first time that WMO has officially briefed the Council on climate and extreme weather issues, he explained that rising sea levels and melting glaciers in the Arctic are influencing weather patterns.
The short-term effects of leaving glacier melt unchecked include increased flooding, he said, adding that the long-term threats will affect water supplies for millions of people.
Indeed, climate change affects security in a multitude of ways, rolling back gains in food access, heightening wildfire risks and increasing the potential for water-related conflict, he said. All these factors lead to more internal displacement and migration, he stressed, noting that climate change is increasingly regarded as a national security threat. As such, WMO is increasing its support to help the United Nations Operations and Crisis Centre provide expert information and assist the leadership in making informed, strategic decisions.
While the United Nations has incorporated the climate phenomenon into the mandates of its operations in Somalia, Darfur, Mali, Central African Republic and the Lake Chad region, a Council resolution recognizing the security impacts of climate change must also require the incorporation of climate sensitivity into the mandates of all peacekeeping and special political missions, she said. She also proposed that the Council recognize both the disproportionate impact of climate change on young people, and the unique role of youth as innovators.
The Council should require the heads of each deployed mission to assess the impact of climate change impact on local youth, particularly in terms of displacement, unemployment, food insecurity and recruitment into armed groups. She went on to say that mission heads should brief Council members on their findings, which would function as an early-warning mechanism alerting the Council to areas in which climate change will hamper the ability of United Nations missions to carry out their conflict-prevention and peacebuilding activities.
Deployed missions must engage young people in building climate resilience in their communities, she continued, recalling that a young man in Saint Lucia started a business that created a fertilizer using seaweed that had washed ashore.
The United Nations must also live up to the goal of reducing reliance of field missions on fossil fuels, she said, emphasizing that, by reducing the energy footprint of its deployed missions, the Organization can reduce greenhouse gas pollution while building sustainable infrastructure in the communities they serve. Kuwait is playing its part to address the global phenomenon, including by supporting the development of renewable energy sources and improving the efficiency of its oil sector, he said.
A topical briefing would be a good annual starting point, as would regular reporting from special representatives and peacekeeping missions, he said. Far from overburdening the machinery, such a system would draw important existing knowledge together, he added, emphasizing the need for the Council to play its part as the international community moves forward on climate issues during the present pivotal year. However, while that city has the capacity to adapt, many other places do not, which risks transforming potential scenarios into real security threats, including irregular migration and food scarcity, he warned.
While the Council can deal with the security dimension, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change remains the leading forum to address the phenomenon, he emphasized.
It must become routine for the international community, and specifically the Council, to take note of the link between climate change and security. For starters, all Member States must have access to reliable and comprehensive information. Systematic reporting by the Security Council is very important. The Secretariat and Council need to also carry out sound risk analysis and forecasts with clear recommendations for action.
All countries must work harder to translate knowledge about climate change into tangible policy. He went on to underline the importance of anticipation and prevention in furthering those goals, including by providing access to accurate early-warning and information-gathering systems. Urging all States and organizations to use the full potential of their field offices and missions to gather and share such information, he also called for enhancing the prominence of climate change and security in the Council through regular discussion and debate.
He said that agreement provides clarity in terms of how and when to act; shifts the world onto a path towards a concrete, single transparency system; and creates a specific framework around the provision of climate finance to countries that need it.
Recalling that his country was the first to raise the issue of climate change risks to international peace and security within the Security Council back in , he said that about 60 per cent of Commonwealth members face climate-related threats. The international community must step up cooperation and countries must uphold multilateralism in order to maintain international peace and security, he emphasized, urging countries to fulfil their obligations and increase funding for technical assistance.
Emphasizing the need for transition to a low-carbon economy, he also stressed the importance of acknowledging differences in the situation of each country, noting that countries shoulder common but differentiated responsibility under the Paris Agreement and other international instruments.
Such discussions also undercut the division of labour within the United Nations. Moreover, climate change is not a universal challenge and should not be considered as such, he said, cautioning that doing so might lead to the false assumption that climate change always leads to conflict.
He went on to emphasize that the Council should avoid pushing the real drivers of conflict in the Sahel — for example, regime-change attempts in Libya and related air strikes by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO — onto the back burner, pointing out that now, in another region, external provocations are once again attempting to exacerbate a domestic crisis.
While no one denies the need for a comprehensive approach to climate change, the existing specialized United Nations bodies provide the appropriate forum in which to pursue it, he said. Millions of people in Africa are facing such challenges, which are compounded by demographic changes and can lead to exacerbated conflict.
The Government has established a national office charged with assisting populations at risk, he said. He welcomed the inclusion of the climate risk element in the mandates of United Nations field missions in Mali, Somalia, the Lake Chad Bain and elsewhere, noting that the Security Council also responded by increasing the number of deployed personnel in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti.
The Council must appropriately assess climate change risks to international peace and security, he said, stressing that the effort must be under the purview of different United Nations bodies, including the Security Council, the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council. The assessments must then be used by Member States and other stakeholders to implement policy measures, he said.
France is undertaking a research initiative that could feed into those reports, she said. As part of its foreign policy, the United States provides humanitarian and relief assistance to countries facing extreme weather events and other natural disasters, he said, adding that it is developing new and better ways to mitigate their impacts.
He asked Council members to explore how United Nations special political missions can place a stronger focus on resilience in post-conflict rebuilding efforts. One important response is to promote policies supporting development and the eradication of poverty, while also creating a system of global cooperation to ensure coherent management of natural resources.
However, all countries without exception must take early, multilateral joint action in order to guarantee a future for humanity, he stressed. South Africa has experienced devastating weather events in recent years with several regions of the country suffering their worst drought in decades. The Government therefore remains firmly committed to addressing climate change and responding to natural disasters nationally, regionally and internationally.
The Council must also highlight climate change as a factor that must be addressed by the international community. The threat posed by climate change is existential and global in nature and therefore needs a multilateral response.
The Security Council has devoted its attention to the nexus between climate change and security over the past decade. Renewed interest in this issue is timely, as climate change is the greatest challenge humanity must grapple with. The Council incorporated risk factors in several mandates, such as in missions in the Lake Chad Basin.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reported global warming will result in greater health hazards and bring about negative impacts on food and water supplies.
There is a clear need to prevent negative effects, ensuring that they do not become the root causes of conflict. In this regard, the Council must be endowed with a necessary tool to assess such risks. Analysing the causes of conflict is under its purview, and the organ must reach a consensus on how it will integrate climate change into its work. Some countries are more vulnerable than others, facing massive human displacement and other man-made consequences.
Her country is also exposed to the negative impacts of hurricanes, tropical storms and droughts. People are on the move to seek better life elsewhere. Her country has embarked on some projects to protect the environment. The world is at a crucial crossroads and needs to act to preserve the ecosystem. Noting that climate change has already helped to drive migration — which has proven to be a serious security challenge across Europe in recent years — he warned against efforts to portray migration as a human right or a phenomenon with purely positive impacts.
Instead, he urged the global community to undertake efforts to address the root causes of migration — including those related to climate. Noting that climate change has generated civil strife and foreign wars, he called for better risk assessment and mitigation strategies, stronger synergies among States and deeper cooperation. Support for developing countries in the form of financing, technology and capacity-building should be strengthened, respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.
The Council should address climate change as its first, foremost and last concern, he said. Past conflicts will seem like sports competitions by comparison. Noting that will see significant progress in implementing commitments, he noted that the debate on climate risks dovetails with the priorities of both the Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly.
Pledging that Haiti will contribute to implementation of the global climate change architecture — with the aim of leaving no one behind — he recalled that his country has seen numerous severe hurricanes. Hurricane Matthew in was particularly devastating, he said, citing the loss of lives and livelihoods as well as development and economic setbacks.
Calling for increased assistance to finance reconstruction efforts, he said Haiti is working to attract more investment, create jobs and support all strata of the population. An area is experiencing water stress when annual water supplies drop below 1, m3 per person. When annual water supplies drop below 1, m3 per person, the population faces water scarcity, and below cubic metres "absolute scarcity".
Source: World Water Development Report 4. Water scarcity is defined as the point at which the aggregate impact of all users impinges on the supply or quality of water under prevailing institutional arrangements to the extent that the demand by all sectors, including the environment, cannot be satisfied fully.
Water scarcity is a relative concept and can occur at any level of supply or demand. Scarcity may be a social construct a product of affluence, expectations and customary behaviour or the consequence of altered supply patterns - stemming from climate change for example.
January This publication examines desertification as a cause of global conflict and instability and calls for urgent action to support communities in crisis.
It explores the impacts desertification has on the lives of many under the titles: Food in security — farming ourselves into extinction; Water in security — water scarcity triggers conflicts; Climate — changing the face of the earth changes the humanity; Migration — fight or flee; National Security — breaking down; Inaction, recipe for International Political and Economic chaos; Securitizing productive land — securing peace and stability; Investing in large scale restoration initiatives; Drought management measures; Institutional reforms; and culminates with Taking action now, a summary on what we can do now, to secure a future capable of dealing with drought risk.
Coping with water scarcity. August This report focuses on the importance of the drylands issue on the global agenda and its relation to other issues, including climate change, food security and human settlements.
The report illustrates the many ways in which the UN system is identifying opportunities to mainstream the drylands agenda into the policy-making process. It sets out a common vision and agenda for UN-wide action on dryland management and its role in addressing climate change and food security through a positive development and investment approach. The report is aimed at a number of audiences, with certain objectives: 1 UN agencies themselves, to clarify the commitment made to drylands and act as a reference guide; 2 Governments of developed and developing countries, as a normative guide on the UN's position on, and commitment to, the development of drylands; 3 The private sector and donors, to encourage and inspire them to think about the viability and unique opportunities presented by drylands, and 4 Civil society, to encourage advocacy on the development of drylands, and empowerment of their populations.
October This report focuses on the importance of the drylands issue on the global agenda and its relation to other issues, including climate change, food security and human settlements. September The use of reclaimed water in agriculture is an option that is increasingly being investigated and taken up in regions with water scarcity, growing urban populations and growing demand for irrigation water.
This report presents an economic framework for the assessment of the use of reclaimed water in agriculture, as part of a comprehensive planning process in water resource allocation strategies to provide for a more economically efficient and sustainable water utilization.
The case material presented provides a good field testing for the approach proposed. Drought, Desertification and Water Scarcity [ - 2.
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