“When the last tree has been cut, the last river poisoned, the last fish caught, you will discover that you can’t eat money.” Seattle, Indian Chief

In 1854 the Indian chief Seattle wrote this to the President of the United States. Heedless of the ancient Indian warning, for a long time men considered the natural resources unlimited, without taking any account of the impact that their inefficient use would have on their future availability and quality, and even on the territory where they lived.
Today it is apparent that those resources are eventually going to run out, but also that their use is closely linked to the availability of food and energy.
According to the United Nations, the erosion and impoverishment of the soils due to climate change, could cause a reduction of 5-25%, between now and 2025, of arable land. Moreover, inefficient use of the water resources, and their pollution, will have further consequences on the availability of water for the world’s population.
At the present time, about 54% of the total fresh water available in accessible rivers, lakes and water tables is being used. This will increase by 50% in the developing countries and by 18% in the industrialized countries by 2025, when 1.8 billion people will have to face conditions of water shortage.
The problem must be dealt with on many fronts and jointly by society and by the institutions of the entire world, with the goal of creating a stable balance between economic development, environmental protection and social welfare.