What is Exploitation of natural resources?
[[File:Timber DonnellyMills2005 SeanMcClean.jpg|thumb|[[Timber]]]] The '''exploitation of natural resources''' is the use of [[natural resource]]s for [[economic growth]], sometimes with a negative result in regards with the environment. It started to come out on an [[Industrial Revolution|industrial]] scale in the 19th century as the extraction and processing of [[raw material]]s (such as in mining, steam power, and machinery) developed much further than it had in preindustrial areas. During the 20th century, energy use quickly increased. Today, about 80% of the world's energy use is sustained by the extraction of [[fossil fuels]], which consists of oil, coal and natural gas. [[Category:Natural resources]]