Natural resources are a major foundation of economic activity and human welfare. Their stocks are part of the natural capital and they provide raw materials, energy carriers, water, air, land and soil. They support the provision of environmental and social services that are necessary to develop produced, human and social capital. The extraction and consumption of resources affects the quality of life and well-being of current and future generations. Natural resources differ in their physical characteristics, abundance and value to countries or regions. Their efficient management and sustainable use are key to economic growth and environmental quality. The aim is to optimise the net benefits from resource use within the context of economic development by: - ensuring adequate supplies of renewable and non-renewable resources to support economic activities and economic growth - managing environmental impacts associated with extracting and processing natural resources to minimise adverse effects on environmental quality and human health - preventing natural resource degradation and depletion - maintaining non-commercial environmental services. Progress can be monitored by looking at stocks of natural resources and of other environmental assets along with flows of environmental services, and by using indicators that reflect the extent to which the asset base is being maintained, in terms of quantity, quality or value. The main issues of importance to green growth include: ?? availability and quality of renewable natural resource stocks, including freshwater, forests and fish ?? availability and accessibility of non-renewable natural resource stocks, particularly mineral resources such as metals, industrial minerals and fossil energy carriers ?? biological diversity and ecosystems, including species and habitat diversity and the productivity of land and soil resources.