What are natural resources?

Natural resources are materials and components that are found in the environment and can be utilized for economic gain. This definition encompasses a wide range of resources, including both renewable resources like forests and water, as well as non-renewable resources such as minerals and fossil fuels. The key aspect of natural resources is that they originate from nature and are part of the Earth's ecosystems, providing essential materials and energy for human use and consumption.

While options that focus solely on renewable resources, artificially created materials, or just mineral resources are too narrow, they fail to capture the full breadth of what constitutes natural resources. Natural resources can include everything from air and sunlight to metals and oil, thus highlighting their importance across various sectors of the economy and their role in sustaining life on Earth.