In general, a natural resource is a substance, organism, environment or object present in nature, without human action, and which is, in most cases, used to meet the needs of humans, animals or plants These can be:
Of a mineral raw material (for example: fresh water, aggregates, metal ores, etc.) ;
A product of wild origin (e.g. wood, fish, game, etc.) ;
Of a natural environment, source of ecosystem services (e.g. water, air, soil, forest, peatland, wetland...) ;
Fossil organic matter (such as oil, coal, natural gas, lignite or peat...) ;
Of an energy source (solar energy, wind energy...) ;
And by extension of an ecosystem service (the production of oxygen provided by photosynthesis for example).
